WM 


IB     a 


LETTERS,  1853-1868 
GEN'L  WM.  J.  PALMER 


Letters 


1853-1868 


Gen  V  Wm.  J.  Talmer 


Compiled  by 

Isaac  H.  Clothier 


PHILADELPHIA 
1906 


KKTTHKLINUS,    I'HILA. 


EXPLANATORY. 

A  RECENT  visit  to   General  William  J. 
Palmer    at    his    delightful    home,    Glen 
Eyrie,    Colorado,    and    a    week's    social 
intercourse  under   his   hospitable   roof,   has,   not 
unnaturally,    renewed    the    remembrance    of  old 
associations    and    freshened    memories    of    long 
ago. 

It  was  my  privilege  during  our  youth  and 
early  manhood,  to  maintain  with  him  a  corre 
spondence,  of  which  his  letters  in  this  volume 
form  a  portion.  That  they  have  been  highly 
valued  is  evidenced  by  their  careful  preservation 
for  so  many  years,  and  it  is  believed  that  the 
limited  circle  of  his  friends  and  mine,  to  whom 
this  little  volume  may  come  will  coincide  in 
the  judgment  that  the  letters  were  worthy  of 
preservation  and  of  being  gathered  now  into  a 
volume  for  private  circulation. 

(iii) 


M4.6961 


iv  Letters,  1853-1868 

Beginning  when  the  writer  was  a  youth  of 
seventeen  years,  and  maintained  during  the  sub 
sequent  eventful  years  preceding,  during,  and 
following  the  great  Civil  War,  these  letters  form 
an  important  part  of  the  biography  of  one  who 
became  one  of  Colorado's  pioneers,  a  leader  and 
potent  force  in  her  settlement ;  in  the  conception, 
organization  and  construction  of  her  great  Railway 
System,  and  consequently  in  the  development  and 
growth  of  her  material  resources ;  one  whose 
name  must  thus  always  be  prominently  associated 
with  the  history  of  the  State,  and  honored  as 
among  her  most  eminent  citizens  and  benefactors. 

These  letters  also  form  a  part  of  the  history 
of  a  crucial  period  in  the  life  of  the  Nation. 

On  re-reading  them  since  my  return  from  the 
visit  referred  to,  I  feel  that,  notwithstanding  a 
number  of  our  friends  who  are  named  therein, 
have  joined  the  Great  Majority,  that  those  of  the 
narrowing  circle  who  survive,  and  others  of  Gen 
eral  Palmer's  present  friends  and  mine,  will  value 
them,  both  from  their  interest  in  him,  and  because 
of  their  undoubted  literary  merit  and  historic 
significance. 

Written  as  a  very  young  man  to  another  very 
young  man,  they  indicate  a  maturity  of  obser 
vation  and  thought  quite  remarkable. 


' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer 


As  for  myself,  having  treasured  these  letters 
for  about  half  a  century 

"And  while  in  life's  late  afternoon, 

Where  cool  and  long  the  shadows  grow, 
I  walk  to  meet  the  night  that  soon 
Shall  shape  and  shadow  overflow," 

my  thoughts  at  times  revert  to  incidents  of  my 
early  life,  and  with  this  feeling,  coupled  with  the 
belief  that  the  letters  are  of  quite  unusual  value, 
I  put  them  now  into  permanent  shape  for  his 
family  and  my  own,  and  for  a  number  of  his 
friends  and  mine. 

I  would  add  that  I  alone  am  responsible  for 
this  publication;  that  General  Palmer  has  no 
part  in  it ;  also,  fearing  to  impair  their  freshness 
and  originality,  I  have  thought  it  best  not  to 
make  any  revision  whatever,  but  to  print  the 
letters  precisely  as  they  were  written,  and  with 
out  changing  any  crudities  of  expression  conse 
quent  on  hasty  writing  sometimes  in  camp  life,  or 
personal  references  which  would  be  out  of  place 
if  other  than  the  most  limited  circulation  were 
intended. 


ISAAC   H.  CLOTHIER. 


BALLYTORE,  WYNNEWOOD,  PENNA. , 
December  31,  1905, 


LETTERS 


LETTERS,  1853-1868. 


Washington,  Pa.,  June  23rd,  '53. 
DEAR  IKE  : 

Probably  when  thee  finished  writing  thy  accept 
able  letter  of  the  9th,  folded  it  up  and  dropped 
it  in  the  P.  O.,  thee  had  no  idea  that  it  would 
have  to  come  a  few  degrees  further  West  of 
Greenwich  than  customary,  to  reach  me.  But 
no  matter  at  what  place  thee  had  anticipated  its 
arrival,  it  is  the  first  letter  I  have  received  since 
I  left  home  and  its  contents  were  devoured  with 
avidity.  I  am  a  member  at  present  of  an  Engi 
neer  corps,  engaged  in  surveying,  locating  and 
leveling  the  line  of  the  Hempfield  Railroad. 
Washington,  Pa.,  where  I  am  now  stationed,  is 
a  country  village  with  between  5  and  10,000 
inhabitants.  It  is  situated  in  a  rough  hilly 
country  West  of  the  Allegheny  mountains,  about 
30  miles  from  Wheeling,  Va.,  the  one  terminus 
of  our  road,  and  40  from  Greensburg,  the  other 

(9) 


io  Letters,  1853-1868 


terminus.  I  am  in  the  field  nearly  all  the  time, 
from  early  in  the  morning  till  late  in  the  evening, 
tramping  over  hills  and  across  valleys,  through 
woods  and  through  fields  of  grain.  Nothing 
stops  us  —  for  a  railroad  line  must  be  a  straight 
one — a  locomotive  is  not  a  proficient  in  turning 
corners.  So  a  locating  party  travels  in  a  bee  line 

-it  cannot  avoid  a  hill  or  go  round  a  pond  or 
choose  its  own  walking.  It  must  tramp  right 
over  the  one  and  ford  the  other  and  walk  by 
the  points  of  the  compass.  We  sometimes  get 
pretty  rough  fare  too — we  stop  once  in  a  while  at 
a  roadside  Inn  where  they  pack  the  whole  corps 

—  engineers,  rodmen  and  axemen  in  the  same 
sleeping  apartment — and  that  one  apartment 
none  of  the  best.  While  we  are  stationed  in 
Washington,  however,  we  have  pretty  nice  times 
in  that  respect.  Each  one  has  a  room  to  himself 
and  we  manage  to  get  along  pretty  comfortably  at 
the  Railroad  House,  though  the  bedbugs  are  as 
plenty  and  as  wild  as  rattlesnakes  in  the  bayous. 
I  am  sorry  Ike,  that  I  didn't  get  thy  letter 
sooner,  since  thee  wanted  an  answer  to  thy 
query  about  the  autographs.  It  did  not  reach 
me  until  yesterday  evening  and  I  sit  down  this 
morning  at  5  o'clock  to  answer  it.  Will  Cox 
was  slightly  mistaken  in  his  statement  about  the 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  i  i 

method  of  obtaining  those  letters  from  distin 
guished  persons.  It  was  not  by  merely  writing  to 
them  and  requesting  their  autographs.  A  little 
chicanery  was  necessary.  I  doubt  if  a  written 
request  for  their  signatures  would  bring  them. 
The  modus-operandi  was  as  follows  —  Taking 
advantage  of  that  inherent  quality  in  the  souls 
of  our  great  statesmen,  Ambition,  and  being 
aware  of  that  love  of  distinction  and  that  desire 
for  office  which  characterizes  all  our  politicians, 
myself  and  another  interesting  juvenile  formed 
ourselves  into  a  society  for  the  diffusion  and 
perfection  of  the  intricate  science  of  wire-pulling. 
This  much  being  premised,  what  follows  is  plain. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  Seward- 
ambian  Society  of  Philada.  for  the  promotion  of 
the  political  and  much  to  be  lauded  art  of  wire 
pulling,  Hon.  Wm.  H.  Seward  was  unanimously 
elected  an  honorary  member  of  the  same  with 
the  privilege  of  participating  in  the  discussions, 
and  with  all  other  privileges  guaranteed  to  active 
members.  In  a  few  minutes  a  letter  is  dropt  in 
the  P.  O.,  that  goes  post  haste  to  Washington 
and  into  the  Senate  chamber  —  informing  the 
Honorable  member  from  N.  York,  as  he  sits  at 
his  congressional  desk,  of  his  election  to  such  a 
desirable  post.  The  next  mail  brings  with  it  a 


12  Letters,  1853-1868 

franked  letter  to  Wm.  J.  Palmer,  corresponding 
Secretary  of  the  Sewardambian  Mutual  Improve 
ment  Society  of  Philada.  The  two  ingenious 
members  constituting  the  latter  corporation, 
chuckle  over  the  contents  that  evening  and 
laugh  at  the  very  easy  manner  in  which  our 
Representatives  are  gulled.  But  meanwhile 
another  letter  is  despatched  informing  the  Hon. 
Henry  Clay  of  his  election  with  but  two  dissent 
ing  voices  to  the  post  of  Honorary  member  of 
the  Claytonian  Society  of  Philada.  and  another 
franked  letter  from  the  disappointed  aspirant 
for  the  Presidency  thanks  the  Society  for  the 
honor  conferred  upon  him  and  for  the  kind 
affable  manner  in  which  Mr.  Wm.  J.  Palmer,  the 
corresponding  secretary,  has  informed  him  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  meeting.  And  the  two  inge 
nious  members  chuckle  again  as  they  add  another 
document  to  their  pile  of  literary  morceaux.  And 
so  on  till  you've  caught  as  many  as  will  bite. 
Then  the  Society  makes  a  move  at  one  of  its 
stated  meetings  to  dissolve — the  move  is  seconded 
— the  President  puts  it  before  the  meeting  with 
all  due  formality  and  it  is  unanimously  adopted 
— the  members  divide  the  plunder,  separate,  and 
find  themselves  possessed  of  a  nice  parcel  of 
autograph  lettters  from  distinguished  people. 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  13 

This  is  the  way,  and  now  you  and  Josiah 
Chapman  can  form  yourselves  into  a  society  for 
the  purpose  of  filibustering  or  extending  the 
Union  indefinitely  or  for  any  other  object.  To 
be  sure  the  acting  members  would  be  small  but 
the  Honorary  department  would  I  hope  be  well 
filled  and  that  would  be  sufficient.  Josiah  might 
be  President  and  yourself  corresponding  Secre 
tary.  Tell  the  President  to  write  to  me.  I  did 
know  the  residences  of  the  congressmen  you 
mention  but  have  unfortunately  forgotten  them. 
You  had  best  wait  till  Congress  is  in  session. 

Your  Friend  truly, 

WM.  J.  P. 
Direct  to  Wm.  J.  P. 

Hempfield  R.  R.  Washington,  Pa. 

OFFICE 
PENNSYLVANIA  RAIL  ROAD  COMPANY, 

Philadelphia,  April  i9th,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

Thy  long  and  interesting  letter  from  Louisville 
did  not  reach  me  until  yesterday  when  I  returned 
to  the  office  for  the  first  time  after  our  meeting 
and  parting  at  Altoona. 


14  Letters,  1853-1868 

I  expect  Breckenridge  frequently  has  an  inward 
jollification  when  he  thinks  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  was  mistaken  for  the  Vice  head  of  the 
Penna.  R.  R.  Company.  He  of  course  appreci 
ated  it  at  once.  I  knew  that  Breckenridge  was 
at  the  Logan  House  on  that  evening,  but  I  did 
not  know  of  the  amusing  episode  that  had  just 
before  occurred  in  the  cars.  It  was  quite  juicy. 
I  thought  that  thee  would  enjoy  the  scenery  in 
crossing  the  Alleghenies  and  in  cutting  through 
the  Laurel  and  Chestnut  Ridges  with  the  gradu 
ally  increasing  Conemaugh,  and  finally  in  leaping 
across  the  rolling  country  that  intervenes  between 
Blairsville  and  Pittsburgh — to  be  set  down  at  the 
portal  of  the  West,  on  the  site  of  old  Fort  du 
Quesne.  But  did  thee  relish  any  of  it  as  much 
as  our  night  ride  up  the  mountain  on  the  "  Blue 
Ridge "  locomotive  the  evening  thee  spent  at 
Altoona?  I  find  car-travelling  quite  tame  now 
and  one  can  certainly  get  tired  in  half  the  time 
boxed  up  in  a  long  passenger  car,  that  he  would 
on  the  engine,  watching  the  flame  in  the  furnace 
or  the  black  smoke  wreathing  out  of  the  chimney 
and  talking  with  the  engineer  and  fireman  of  the 
wonderful  machine  which  they  control  with  such 
facility.  In  addition  there  is  the  wide  open  view 
over  hill  and  valley  —  and  "  Kittanning,"  and 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  i  5 

"Allegrippus"  and  "  Whippoorwill  "  (sealed  vol 
umes  to  the  inside  passengers)  become  as  familiar 
to  you  in  every  outline,  as  the  walls  and  ceiling 
of  your  own  room  at  home. 

I  am  glad  to  hear  thee  has  sustained  the 
reputation  of  the  "  Junior."  After  a  while  we 
may  perhaps  fearlessly  begin  to  engage  in  Chess 
matches  by  telegraph,  with  other  cities.  Say  we 
try  Cincinnati  first ! 

I  remained  on  the  line  at  Altoona  or  Mifflin 
until  last  First  day,  and  did  not  therefore  have 
an  opportunity  of  witnessing  the  fugitive  excite 
ment.  Indeed  the  news  hardly  reached  to  Blair 
County.  If  it  had  been  a  "petit  morceau"  stating 
that  the  Penna.  R.  Rd.  was  coming  off  first  best 
in  its  fight  with  the  New  York  Central,  the 
whole  population  would  have  been  discussing 
it  from  morning  till  night,  or  if  it  had  been 
that  the  "Camel-back"  had  run  to  Mifflin 
and  back  with  less  coal  than  the  cc  Old  Domin 
ion"  the  subject  would  have  been  considered  as 
of  at  least  temporary  importance.  But  a  paltry 
fugitive  case  in  Philada!  —  the  pith  had  dropped 
out  of  the  news  before  it  passed  Harrisburgh. 
— If  Beecher  should  go  to  Altoona,  he  would 
find  himself  without  a  subject,  unless  he  chose 
"  Motive  Power." 


1 6  Letters,  1853-1868 

I  am  glad  that  thee  is  enjoying  thyself  so 
highly  in  travelling.  By  the  time  thee  returns, 
we  shall  probably  be  removed  to  Germantown. 
In  regard  to  the  Baltimore  case  no  new  develop 
ments  have  turned  up.  I  have  not  had  an 
opportunity  of  examining  a  directory  of  that 
city.  There  is  hardly  a  doubt  about  the  identity 
of  the  two  characters. 

After  getting  my  business  up  here  which  has 
greatly  accumulated  during   nearly  3   weeks  ab 
sence,  I  expect  to  return  to  Altoona  to  finish  the 
experiments  which  are  yet  incomplete. 
Thine  truly, 

WM.  J.   PALMER. 

Write  again  if  thee  has  an  opportunity. 

Altoona,  May  14,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC : 

Not  having  heard  from  thee  since  leaving 
Philada.  the  last  time,  I  am  anxious  to  learn 
what  has  been  done  in  the  Morphy  testimonial 
matter ;  and  if  convenient  and  thee  feels  dis 
posed,  write  to  me  and  let  me  know  all  about  it. 
I  have  enjoyed  this  trip  more  even  than  the  pre 
vious  ones,  in  consequence  of  the  weather  being 
so  much  finer  and  the  season  more  advanced. 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  17 

The  scenery  along  the  Juniata,  half  the  length  of 
which  I  ride  every  day,  is  far  more  attractive  than 
it  was  when  thee  saw  it  on  thy  western  tour,  and 
one  could  hardly  believe  that  a  month  would 
make  so  much  difference. 

I  hear  but  very  little  of  what  is  going  on  in 
the  great  outside  world — but  believe  that  war  is 
inevitable  in  Europe.  If  such  is  the  case,  the 
only  possible  good  that  I  can  see  to  result  from 
it,  is  the  chance  that  would  be  afforded  to  Kos- 
suth  and  the  other  liberals  of  Europe  to  free  the 
oppressed  nations,  and  the  slight  possibility 
there  is  of  blotting  out  Austria,  with  whose  his 
tory  the  first  traditions  of  European  despotism 
and  tyranny  are  connected. 

Whether  Hungary  and  Italy  have  the  right 
sort  of  stuff  in  their  population  to  avail  them 
selves  of  this  glorious  chance  is  a  question. 

I  suppose  Yearly  Meeting  is  now  beginning 
or  over.  (I  have  lost  the  count  of  it).  But  in 
either  event  I  feel  assured  that  thee  has  enjoyed 
thyself  in  "  breezing  up "  (to  make  use  of  a 
Western  expression)  that  fair  sex,  to  whose 
charms  the  wisest  are  not  proof.  Pray  tell  me 
what  particular  divinity  now  engrosses  thy  ener 
gies.  Is  it  Ruth,  or  Rachael  or  Rebecca,  Mary 
or  Margaret  or  Matilda?  But  I  pause  from  a 


I  8  Letters,  1853-1868 

dearth  of  names.  When  I  recall  to  mind  the 
brilliant  galaxy  of  youth  and  innocence  that 
yearly  lines  the  modest  -  colored  benches  at 
Cherry  Street,  I  cannot  expect  that  the  few 
names  which  might  casually  without  a  moment's 
warning  flit  through  one's  cranium  should  in 
clude  a  tithe  of  the  legion  that  would  be  honored 
with  thy  flattering  attentions. 

By  the  way,  has  thee  heard  from  Harry  Lam- 
born  lately  ?  The  last  letter  I  had  he  was  pre 
paring  to  leave  Giessen  and  extend  his  tour 
through  Germany  and  other  parts  of  Europe. 
There  may  be  a  letter  for  me  at  Philada.  but  I 
cannot  get  it  in  consequence  of  the  abstraction 
of  my  revered  patron,  until  I  return  to  the 
office. 

Remember  me  to  all  my  friends  whom  thee 
may  meet.  I  close  hastily  for  the  train.  Write 
soon. 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 

Altoona,  June  12,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC: 

Since  my  arrival  here  Wednesday  morning,  I 
have  been  so  continuously  occupied,  sometimes 
till  late  in  the  night,  that  I  have  had  no  time  to 
redeem  my  promise  to  send  thee  a  letter.  This 


'  I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  19 


glorious  cloudless  morning  of  Sunday,  however, 
making  rest  more  agreeable  than  activity,  woos 
me  to  a  communion  with  home  friends  —  and  I 
sit  down  in  my  room  in  the  Logan  House  be 
side  an  open  window  through  which  the  pure 
Allegheny  air  enters  fresh  from  its  journey  over 
the  hill  tops,  and  propose  to  have  a  chat  with 
thee  of  things  and  people. 

There  is  a  Mrs.  B  -  here,  the  wife  of  our 
Superintendent  of  Shops,  who  said  to  me  this 
morning  that  she  had  seen  a  few  weeks  since,  a 
young  man  with  me  at  the  breakfast  table  here 
—  a  Mr.  Clothier,  whose  sister  Lizzie  she  was 
acquainted  with,  having  been  old  schoolmates 
together.  Does  thee  remember  her  ?  She  was 
born  somewhere  on  the  Delaware  River,  and  is 
quite  well  acquainted  in  Bristol.  She  is  an 
agreeable  lady,  and  I  doubt  not  would  put  thee 
through  the  ladies  society  of  Altoona  (what  there 
is  of  it)  if  thee  would  come  up.  Moreover,  she 
loves  to  play  chess  —  at  which  game  I  intend  to 
test  her  skill  some  evening  this  week  if  "  way 
opens."  Is  there  not  a  superior  satisfaction  in 
playing  chess  with  the  ladies  ?  If  you  beat  them, 
what  more  fine  than  obtaining  a  victory  over  a 
being  purer  and  better  than  yourself;  and  to  the 
lady  what  disappointment  is  there  that  she  has 


20  Letters,  1853-1868 

not  been  able  to  cope  with  the  superior  (because 
more  constantly  exercised)  intellectual  force  of 
man  ?  If  on  the  contrary  they  beat  you,  what  a 
sweet  satisfaction  to  the  lady  it  is,  and  how  en 
couraging  that  in  a  conflict  with  the  stronger 
vessel,  she  has  realized  her  hopes — and  to  you, 
how  the  pleasure  of  her  victory  and  sympathy 
with  her  delight,  cheat  you  out  of  the  ugly 
sense  of  defeat,  and  leave  you  under  a  dim,  half- 
formed  impression  that  it's  a  drawn  game  or  at 
least  a  stale-mate. 

Pray  inform  me  whether  this  is  not  a  philo 
sophical  statement  of  the  case — or  does  your 
mettle  prefer  a  more  fiery  contest — gloves  off, 
breast  to  breast  and  hand  to  throat  with  some 
well-tried  Turk  who  gives  no  mercy  and  asks 
none. 

While  on  the  subject  of  chess,  I  must  ask  you 
whether  Morphy  has  come  to  Philada.  yet,  and 
if  so,  have  you  feasted  him  ;  and  enjoyed  that 
honor  from  which  England's  champion  shrinked, 
of  playing  a  game  with  him?  When  you  write, 
you  must  tell  me  of  it,  and  be  not  afraid  of 
going  into  details. 

If  you  were  here  to  day,  we  would  obtain  a 
pair  of  sure-footed  but  fine-spirited  mountain 
horses,  and  ride  over  to  "  Sinking  Valley "  or 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  21 

perhaps  to  "  Wapsunnonnack."  The  latter  place 
is  about  8  miles  distant  on  the  verge  of  one  of 
the  Allegheny  cliffs.  From  the  edge  of  this 
bold  escarpment,  we  would  look  off  for  20  miles 
into  the  blue  ether — and  then  down  beneath  us 
into  the  valley  of  the  Juniata.  From  such  an 
elevation,  the  high  hills  that  break  up  the  valley 
and  appear  so  steep  and  great  when  you  are 
below,  are  softened  down  into  mole-hills,  hardly 
rising  above  the  surface  of  the  vast  basin  that 
spreads  out  before  you,  to  the  foot  of  the  next 
Range.  If  the  Reverend  War  Horse,  Chambers, 
who  preaches  here  to  day,  would  mount  a  racer, 
and  lead  his  congregation,  big  and  little,  from 
the  little  Presbyterian  Altoona  Church  up  the 
rugged  road,  inadmissible  for  carriages,  to  Wap 
sunnonnack  and  from  that  solid  pulpit  point 
out  to  them  the  sublime  scene  before  them, 
I  think  they  would  be  more  impressed  with 
the  insignificance  of  man  and  the  greatness  of 
God,  than  ever  they  could  be,  if  Calvinism 
were  steam-hammered  into  them  diurnally  for 
a  life-time. 

Man  has  to  go  to  the  mountains  for  health, 
and  he  must  go  there  likewise,  if  he  would  get 
a  true  insight  into  things.  There  is  a  refraction 
in  the  atmosphere  of  cities  and  low  lands  like 


22  Letters,  1853-1868 

that  the  traveller  meets  with  on  the  desert  or  in 
the  equatorial  seas,  when  a  long  coast  line  or  a 
city  with  steeples  and  turrets  loom  out  of  the 
horizon  —  to  vanish  the  next  day  into  vapor. — 
Mankind  as  a  general  thing  cannot  see  through 
brick  walls.  To  be  sure  I  have  gazed  myself 
through  an  instrument  hawked  about  our 
Philada.  streets  by  an  individual  whose  con 
versational  powers  were  tolerably  developed  — 
the  object  of  which  was  to  enable  one  to  see 
through  a  brick.  But  the  majority  of  minds  are 
not  furnished  with  cameras,  and  it  were  better 
to  take  the  brick  away  and  look  straight  and 
clear.  This  they  can  do  in  the  mountains. 
But,  Mercy  !  I  am  getting  serious.  Forgive 

me.     How  is  Miss  S and  the  other  Miss 

S -  and  the  Miss  of  Chester  County,  and 

all  the  girls  of  Riverton  ?  And  how  did  you 
enjoy  your  last  hurried  trip  to  Longwood — that 
bulwark  against  conservative  fanaticism,  and  how 
did  you  leave  Will  Cox,  on  whose  soul,  benig 
nity  was  spread  thick,  when  I  saw  him,  by  the 
recurrence  of  this  epoch  of  happiness?  Charley 
L—  —  is  doubtless  by  this  time  up  to  his 
elbows  in  Algebra  and  Geometry  and  deeply 
immersed  in  the  mysteries  of  his  hie  haec 
hoc.  The  engrossing  Miss  H.  can  no  longer 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  23 

monopolize  the  affections  of  her  Charley  — 
they  are  divided  between  College  tricks  and 
Minerva. 

I  have  been  up  here  a  week  now  and  have  no 
news.  For  the  sake  of  friendship,  enlighten  me. 
Some  one  charitably  sent  me  a  newspaper — but 
it  is  the  London  Times,  redolant  of  Sardinia  and 
the  Ticino — but  not  a  word  about  Philadelphia 
or  the  Delaware. 

Did  Mr.  Higginson  stop  over  on  his  return 
to  New  England,  and  play  that  proposed  game 
of  cricket  with  the  Philada.  boys  ?  From  the 
soul  with  which  he  enters  into  Prisoner's  Base, 
I  should  judge  he  would  be  a  competitor  worthy 
of  one's  steel  at  cricket. 

If  thee  has  fixed  up  no  place  to  spend  thy 
vacation,  I  think  thee  would  find  it  very  pleasant 
at  Altoona  and  Cresson.  Excursion  tickets  at 
half  price  will  shortly  be  issued  I  think,  and  I 
hope  thee  will  come  up  while  I  am  here.  I  shall 
remain  at  least  two  weeks  longer. 

Write  to  me  whenever  thee  feels  like  sitting 
down  to  pen,  ink  and  paper.  Thy  letters  are 
always  interesting  and  welcome. 

Thine  truly, 

WILLIAM  J.  PALMER. 


24  Letters,  1853-1868 


Altoona,  June  25th,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

Thy  letter  was  duly  received,  on  my  return 
from  Mifflin  to-day  —  and  was  perused  with 
pleasure.  I  should  have  been  glad  to  have  had 
thee  spend  a  few  days  with  me  on  the  Juniata 
this  summer,  but  as  society  is,  I  believe,  in  thy 
estimation  a  standard  necessity  of  enjoyment  (and 
it  certainly  is  a  very  agreeable  accompaniment  to 
any  plan  for  pleasure)  thee  has  perhaps  chosen 
more  wisely,  in  selecting  the  pretty  hills  of 
Montgomery  and  the  level  plains  of  Jersey  for 
the  scene  of  thy  summer  vacation.  I  hope  to 
hear  from  thee  frequently  during  the  progress  of 
thy  rambles  —  and  trust  that  thee  will  have  no 
fear  of  going  into  details. —  Always  direct  to 
Altoona — from  which  point  a  letter  will  reach 
me,  wherever  I  may  chance  to  be  on  the  line. 

I  have  a  letter  from  Charley  Lamborn  now  at 
Ann  Arbor,  Michigan.  His  vacation  comes  off 
about  the  jist  after  which  he  will  immediately 
come  east.  He  spoke  something  of  stopping 
over  at  Philada.  His  letter  encloses  one  from 
Harry,  chiefly  however  on  business  matters — and 


I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  25 


only  referring  briefly  to  his  life  at  Giessen,  in  con 
nection  with  the  experiments  on  coal  and  other 
carbonaceous  matters  which  he  is  prosecuting. 

What  a  terrible  thing  this  coal  is  —  and  how 
many  energies  and  thoughts  it  absorbs  to  the 
detriment,  I  have  no  doubt  thee  will  say,  of  more 
important  affairs.  —  However,  if  it  is  pardonable 
in  any  one  to  bestow  a  little  concern  upon  this 
sooty  substance,  it  surely  is  so  in  a  Pennsylvanian. 
The  foundation  of  the  material  prosperity  of  our 
State  rests  in  a  great  measure  thereupon  —  as  any 
Politician  will  tell  thee,  and  as  hundreds  of  Poli 
ticians  will  busy  themselves  with  telling  thee  over 
and  over  again  about  this  time  a  year  hence,  in 
connection  with  the  closely-allied  theme  of  the 
Presidential  chair. 

We  have  had  a  great  meeting  of  the  Masons 
in  Altoona  —  which  has  enlivened  things  and 
particularly  the  Hotel  -  keeper,  who  has  been 
regretting  that  such  a  great  mistake  was  made  in 
the  construction  of  his  house,  as  to  leave  it  only 
2  stories  in  height. 

The  particular  grand  Body  which  met  here 
was  one  started  by  a  former  Superintendent  of 
the  Road  and  composed  almost  entirely  of  Rail 
Road  men.  Col.  Lombaert,  the  originator,  was 
here,  for  the  first  time  since  his  resignation  and 


26  Letters,  1853-1868 

had  a  happy  day  in  revisiting  his  former  associa 
tions  and  shaking  hands  with  his  old  men  who 
crowded  around  him  in  the  shops. —  Among  a 
host  of  others,  conductors,  etc.,  was  Father  Funk, 
the  Emigrant  Agent  of  the  Company  —  all  the 
way  from  Dock  street.  This  is  the  gentleman 
whose  parental  care  of  the  unfortunate  European 
Israelites  extends  even  to  the  shores  of  the  old 
world.  His  sympathy  for  the  emigrants  is  so 
wide  that  he  must  needs  have  a  watchful  eye  on 
them  from  the  moment  they  leave  "Maxwelton's 
braes,"  or  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  or  Killarney. 
Nor  does  his  solicitude  cease  with  their  safe  im 
portation  into  New  York.  That  same  affectionate 
interest  which  was  displayed  before  they  left  the 
Fatherland,  is  still  manifested  in  their  welfare. 
Not  even  when  they  reach  the  quiet  city  of 
rectangles  does  Mr.  Funk's  eye  stray  from  his 
charge — for  there  is  a  rival  concern  known  as  the 
Catawissa  Rail  Road, — a  great  ogre  who  would 
snatch  the  child  of  Europe  from  his  fatherly  grasp 
were  he  to  unloose  it.  It  is  only  when  he  beholds 
his  children  safely  ensconced  in  the  cars  on  Dock 
street,  and  their  tickets  paid  for  to  the  great  West, 
that  his  responsibilities  end.  Then  it  is  truly 
wonderful  how  little  interest  he  evinces  in  them 
afterwards.  They  might  be  so  much  freight  or  live 


Wm.  J.  Palmer  27 


stock  —  they  may  be  blown  up,  meet  with  colli 
sions,  drowned  or  burned  on  the  Ohio,  for  all  he 
cares.  In  some  respects  it  is  shocking  to  think 
of  the  sudden  change  in  his  attentions  to  these 
immortal  souls,  after  they  leave  that  point  of 
space,  Dock  street.  Daily  the  cars  pass  by 
me  on  the  Road,  laden  with  them,  all  radiant 
with  hope  that  the  golden  West  may  fulfil  their 
expectations.  But  Father  Funk  is  off  to  Europe 
by  deputy  or  letter,  after  a  fresh  lot  —  whom  he 
will  put  through  the  same  mill  and  turn  them 
out  in  the  shortest  notice,  approved  Yankees  — 
and  so  the  work  goes  on. 

When  I  look  at  the  man,  and  consider  that 
through  his  instrumentality,  the  fate  and  after- 
history  of  so  many  souls  is  diametrically  changed 
from  what  it  would  have  been,  I  am  surprised  at 
the  power  of  man  over  his  fellow-creatures. 

The  Juniata,  along  which  I  daily  travel,  looks 
more  beautiful  than  ever  now.  It  is  one  complete 
vista  of  splendid  and  harmonious  colors.  From 
the  deck  of  the  engine,  I  look  out  on  it,  as  we 
wind  in  and  out  of  the  rocky  bays  in  the  mountain. 
One  would  suppose  that  these  engine  drivers  and 
stokers  would  insensibly  have  their  tastes  elevated 
and  refined  by  the  contact  with  such  beautiful 
scenes,  but  I  cannot  see  that  such  is  the  case. 


28  Letters,  1853-1868 

I  shall  be  at  home  in  about  a  week — when  1 
hope  to  see  thee — and  at  any  rate,  I  shall  call  in 
on  Jim  and  thank  him  for  the  papers. 

Thine  truly, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 

OFFICE 
PENNSYLVANIA  RAIL  ROAD  COMPANY, 

Philadelphia,  July  7,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC: 

I  attended  the  Morphy  meeting  the  other 
evening,  and  am  glad  I  did  so,  as  the  result 
would  very  likely  have  been  different  from  what 
thee  and  I  would  desire  for  the  credit  of  Phila 
delphia  chess  players,  and  the  rebuke  of  ungen- 
tlemanly  pretensions.  The  meeting  passed  by  a 
vote  of  10  against  9  a  Resolution  calling  upon 
the  Managing  Committee  to  abolish  itself,  which 
of  course  implies  the  refunding  of  the  money  and 
the  dropping  of  the  entire  affair.  So  ends  the 
proposed  Philada.  testimonial  to  the  services  of 
Morphy.  Thee  will  perceive  that  the  vote  was 
very  close,  and  I  fear  that  if  I  had  not  been  able 
to  attend,  the  question  would  not  have  been  so 
decided.  It  would  have  gone  to  the  Chairman 


Gen1 1.  Wm.  J.  Palmer  29 

with  a  tie  vote — and  I  hardly  think  he  was 
prepared  to  go  so  far — being  an  undecided  man 
and  apparently  a  lawyer,  Jno.  P.  Montgomery. 

The  matter  was  argued  very  closely  and  there 
were  some  good  speeches  made  especially  by 
IVells  for  our  view  of  the  case.  Thomas,  Floyd, 
Milligan  and  others  spoke  eloquently  in  behalf 
of  Morphy  and  against  the  "  slight "  proposed 
to  be  offered  to  him,  but  common  sense  I  am 
happy  to  say,  triumphed.  The  meeting  occupied 
three  hours. 

I  have  not  time  to  write  thee  more  fully  in 
relation  to  the  subject.  When  I  see  thee,  I  will 
give  thee  all  the  particulars. 

I  do  not  go  to  Altoona,  and  should  be  glad 
to  hear  from  thee  at  this  address. 

Pray,  do  not  chase  any  more  run-away  nags  for 
Miss  Manderson  during  thy  stay  in  Delaware 
County.  It  is  too  severe  exercise  for  this  warm 
weather,  and  if  thee  should  contract  the  heart 
disease,  just  to  reflect  on  the  maidens  who  would 
pine  away  by  sympathy.  Of  them  it  shall  be 
written — "they  did  not  tell  their  love,"  etc. 

Give  my  respects  to  George  and  thy  other 
cousins  and  relatives,  and  write  to 

Thy  friend  truly, 

WM. 


30  Letters,  1853-1868 


Altoona,  July  2Oth,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC: 

Thy  interesting  letter  from  Montgomery 
County  reached  me  before  I  left  home — but  it 
is  only  now  that  I  have  been  able  to  answer  it. 

I  regretted  very  much  to  hear  of  thy  illness — 
which  was  not  entirely  unknown  to  me  before 
receiving  thy  letter ;  as  Charley  Lamborn,  who 
dropped  into  our  office  on  Wednesday  or  Thurs 
day  of  last  week  informed  me  that  the  people  at 
your  store  had  told  him  you  were  lying  sick  in 
the  country.  I  hope  by  this  time  the  symptoms 
have  entirely  disappeared,  and  left  you  with  the 
appetite  of  a  convalescent.  Once  able  to  take 
nourishing  food,  and  you  will  pick  up  wonder 
fully.  But  I  am  sorry  that  you  lost  so  much  of 
your  vacation. 

I  came  up  here  last  Monday  by  the  fast  train  to 
which  was  attached  a  special  car  for  Mr.  Thomson 
and  his  family,  etc.  who  were  on  their  way  to 
Bedford.  There  were  about  ten  in  the  party, 
who  enjoyed  themselves  in  gazing  out  of  the  car 
windows  at  the  beautiful  hills  and  valleys,  the 
stony  and  rugged  mountains  and  the  forests  that 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  31 

dotted  the  landscape  more  gracefully  than  art 
could  possibly  have  arranged  them. 

Yesterday,  the  whole  party  went  up  to  Cresson 
in  my  experimental  train,  where  we  partook  of  an 
excellent  dinner,  rolled  a  couple  of  games  of  ten 
pins,  drank  from  a  spring  of  mountain  water  as 
pure  and  cold  as  I  have  ever  tasted ;  and  then 
like  the  King  of  France  (having  gone  up  the  hill) 
turned  our  faces  eastward  and  came  down  again. 
We  stopped  at  the  eastern  portal  of  the  tunnel, 
and  the  ladies  having  succeeded  in  getting  Mr. 
Thomson's  assent,  mounted  the  locomotive, 
where  some  stood  beside  the  boiler  and  others 
sat  on  the  tank,  and  thus  we  descended  the  side 
of  old  Allegheny  getting  a  better  view  of  his 
many  features  than  could  be  gained  from  any 
other  position  on  a  train.  This  morning  they 
have  gone  over  to  Bedford  via  Huntingdon  and 
Hopewell — a  distance  of  91  miles  from  Altoona, 
20  of  which  are  by  stage.  There  was  one  little 
girl  amongst  them  —  a  delicate,  fragile  little 
bairnie  "  Lottie/'  they  call  her,  who  is  one 
of  the  sweetest  little  girls  I  ever  saw.  She  is  a 

daughter  of  Mr.  F .     Her  mother  died  a 

few  years  ago  of  consumption  (I  believe).  Since 
then  she  has  lost  a  younger  brother — while  the 
blue  veins  on  her  temples  and  the  occasional 


32  Letters,  1853-1868 

gloom  of  sadness  which  passes  over  her  fair  face 
warn  you  that  she  has  inherited  the  delicate  con 
stitution  of  both  her  father  and  mother,  and  has 
not  many  years  to  live.  But  while  she  lives,  she 
will  be  loved,  as  Eva  was  in  Mrs.  Stowe's  story. 
There  is  a  sacredness  about  her  girlish  beauty 
which  makes  all  who  see  her  wish  they  were 
better  and  purer  than  they  are.  You  know  there 
is  another  style  of  beauty,  but  you  have  undoubt 
edly  met  with  that  to  which  I  have  referred,  in 
the  course  of  your  extensive  acquaintance  amongst 
the  ladies.  Have  you  not?  or  is  it  rare,  like  all 
of  Heaven's  blessings. 

I  have  begun  once  more  this  morning  in  earnest 
(yesterday  was  play  day)  at  the  Coal  Burners — 
and  now  for  a  week,  I  am  doomed  to  be  smoked 
and  sooted,  and  choked  with  Sulphuretted  Hydro 
gen  and  Carbonic  Acid — between  Altoona  and  the 
tunnel  and  between  Mifflin  and  Altoona.  During 
said  week  there  will  hardly  be  a  dirtier  person  on 
the  Juniata  than  your  humble  scribe.  A  gentle 
man  to-day  told  me  I  looked  rather  "  rough." 
The  adjective  is  altogether  too  moderate. 

And  now  Isaac,  I  hope  thou  art  well  enough 
to  write  and  let  me  know  what  engages  thy  atten 
tion  and  how  thy  health  has  improved.  If  weak 
ness  has  supervened  on  the  sudden  and  painful 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  33 

sickness  which  thee  dates  from  our  pleasure  of 
the  4th  of  July  and  the  Sunday  previous,  try  to 
get  Friend  Parrish  to  give  thee  an  extension  of 
thy  holidays  —  and  come  up  to  Cresson,  where 
health  and  strength  are  wafted  from  the  swaying 
boughs  of  the  pine  trees,  and  well-up  in  the 
transparent  springs  of  pure  water.  All  the  chil 
dren  on  the  Allegheny  Mountain  are  Venuses  and 
Adonises — in  my  rides  up  and  down  the  side  of 
it  I  see  faces  which  no  Painter  would  hesitate  to 
transmit  to  his  canvas  in  connection  with  the 
finest  scenery  of  Allegrippus  or  Kittanning.  What 
is  this  due  to — what  but  the  fresh,  invigorating 
mountain  air  in  which  they  roam  about  hatless 
and  bonnetless,  and  the  unsurpassable  water? 
And  above  all  when  you  write  do  not  forget  to 
mention  the  latest  Idol  that  you  worship,  the  last 
daughter  of  Eve,  in  whom  your  soul  has  seen 
written  perfection. 
Write  soon. 

Your  friend, 

W.  J.  P. 


34  Letters,  1853-1868 


Altoona,  July  24th,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

Your  letter  informing  me  of  your  convalescence 
was  received  this  morning  and  perused  with  much 
interest.  The  Humorist,  Hood,  used  to  say  that 
no  man  could  be  essentially  bad,  who  was  often 
sick.  You  will  no  doubt  agree  with  him  that  the 
thoughtfulness  created  by  a  painful  or  severe  ill 
ness  has  a  mellowing  and  humanizing  influence 
upon  the  character,  which  tends  to  make  the  man 
more  conscientious  and  less  reckless  in  his  actions. 
I  think,  in  accordance  with  this  theory,  that  per 
haps  either  you  or  me — sinners  as  we  are — might 
be  washed  comparatively  white  were  we  occasion 
ally  to  lounge  without  our  coats  on  a  warm 
Sunday  or  take  4th  of  July  excursions  on  the 
banks  of  the  Wissahickon.  There  may  be  some 
thing  in  Hood's  fancy — but  I  fear  the  effect  of 
such  solemnizing,  like  that  of  attending  Revival 
meetings,  is  very  transient — and  only  lasts  as  long 
as  the  sickness.  You,  for  instance,  although  but 
recently  well  of  a  dangerous  disease,  instead  of 
writing  to  me  in  a  sober  and  devotional  style  as 
becomes  one  of  Hood's  Christians,  have  exhibited 


3flAWAJ3d  ,5l 


•      .1     'i    ,j'/3;)    'iO    HDA 


?4  Letters,  1353  -  ISM 


July  24th,  1859. 

O  EA  R     1  SA.4t%  I 

Your  letter  informing  mr  of  vour  convalescence 

«-us^d  with  much 

iiif-ritaf.      The  Humor**.  -M;ii  to  say  that 

man  could  he  esscn^  *-**  often 

You  will  no  douiv  .«,.•  Wt  the 

thoughtful  ness  created  hv  ;<  ,  '-<:^  iil- 

n«-»s   HAS  a  mellowing  and   hu? 

KINSALE,  NEAR  DOVER,  DELAWARE 

more  conscientious  and  less  reckless  in  his  actions. 

BIRTHPLACE    OF   GEN'L   PALMER 

haps  either  you  or  me—  Mnnrr*  »<•-  w    *M      might 
he  was1".*'-'!  *-»-r  we  occasion 

ally   to    ioun^r  coats    on    a   warm 

Sunday  -^r  nk?:  4.rS  <-t  Jui\  excursions  on  the 
hanks  of'  the  Wiw*hickori.  There  may  he  some 
thing  in  H  -\>d  s  fancy — but  I  fear  the  erlec*  of 
such  solemrn/ing,  i;ke  that  of  attending  Kevivai 
meetings,  '>•?  very  Transient — and  only  lasts  as  lone 
as  the  sickness.  You,  for  instance,  although  Kit 
recently  well  of  a  dangerous  disease,  inttead  of 
writing  to  me  in  a  sober  and  devotion  A  sfyit  as 
>  one  of  Hood's  Christians,  havr  exhibited 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  35 

so  much  of  the  old  Adam  in  your  letter  that  I  had  a 
merry  laugh  over  it  for  at  least  five  minutes.  What 
right  have  you.  Sir,  to  seize  hold  of  my  words  in 
that  barbarous  manner,  and  retort  upon  me  with 
such  Turkish  ferocity.  Can't  one  ask  you  a 
civil  question  without  being  drawn  and  quartered  ? 

I  was  hoping  that  the  state  of  your  health 
would  require  a  trip  to  the  Alleghenies,  by  which 
I  would  have  some  company  here — but  it  is  now 
manifest  to  me  that  you  have  stopped  your  pills 
and  discharged  your  Physician.  It  is  a  pity  too; 
as  the  scenery  continues  to  remain  of  unabated 
magnificence,  and  the  weather  is  cool  and  invig 
orating.  I  do  not  know  how  much  longer  I  shall 
stay  here,  but  it  will  be  a  week  at  least.  I  am 
very  much  obliged  for  the  "Press,"  from  which  I 
have  derived  much  profit  and  amusement  this 
sweet  Sunday  morning  in  reading  the  letters 
from  the  Watering  places,  and  the  discussions 
in  regard  to  Sunday  travel. 

You  must  not  let  the  Morphy  protest  die 
by  inanition  —  but  keep  a  sharp  lookout  on  the 
different  members  of  the  Committee  as  they 
return  to  the  city  and  take  a  decided  move  at  the 
earliest  moment.  I  was  anticipating  some  such 
difficulty  in  the  way  of  carrying  out  the  close 
resolution  of  the  subscribers  as  that  you  mention. 


36  Letters,  1853-1868 

You  desire  me  to  tell  you  what  is  new  about 
Altoona.  Suppose  I  do.  Engine  "156  "  has  been 
fitted  up  with  a  fire  brick  deflector,  and  on  being 
tried  up  the  mountain  yesterday,  performed  with 
great  satisfaction.  Her  bonnet  and  spark-arrestor 
having  been  taken  off  her,  she  ran  with  a  straight 
stack,  and  made  steam  much  more  freely  with  a 
3  %  nozzle  than  she  did  before  with  one  of  3  ^ 
of  an  inch.  This,  of  course,  was  extremely  sat 
isfactory —  so  also  was  the  fact  of  her  producing 
very  little  smoke  and  an  inconsiderable  amount 
of  dirt,  although  using  the  gaseous  Pittsburgh 
coal.  Mike,  the  engineer,  was  of  the  opinion  that 
she  would  bear  a  4  inch  nozzle — But  on  the  trial 
being  renewed  in  the  afternoon,  with  Broad  Gap 
Coa\,  it  was  found  impossible  to  sustain  the 
pressure.  From  some  unaccountable  cause,  either 
bad  firing,  or  the  character  of  the  fuel,  the  steam 
sank  down  and  down,  until  it  reached  75  Ibs.  and 
it  was  feared  that  we  would  come  to  a  halt.  This 
was  all  the  more  vexatious,  as  we  had  Mr.  Scott 
the  Superintendent  along,  with  two  young  ladies, 
who  as  they  rode  on  the  locomotive,  could  see 
everything  that  was  going  on.  Moreover,  in  con 
sequence  of  this  great  reduction  in  the  draught 
of  the  engine,  much  more  smoke  was  produced, 
and  the  ladies  had  their  pretty  faces  tolerably  well 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  37 

blacked  —  while  the  Superintendent  was  kept 
pretty  busy  with  his  fingers  pulling  the  upper  lid 
of  his  eye  over  the  lower,  to  remove  sparks. 
When  they  got  off  at  the  Tunnel  (to  descend  in 
a  hand  car),  the  party  looked  very  much  as  if  a 
dexterous  Bootblack  had  been  maneuvering  with 
his  brush  over  their  countenances. 

I  could  tell  you  that  207  is  having  Gill's  im 
provement  applied  to  her ;  and  that  the  variable 
exhaust  on  114  is  doing  well,  and  has  already 
saved,  the  engineer  estimates,  a  half  cord  of  wood 
in  the  round  trip  ;  and  that  the  new  turn-table  in 
the  Round  House  is  finished,  and  works  to  a 
charm  —  and  that  the  Vandevender  Bridge  has 
only  her  piers  half-way  up  although  the  Boiler 
makers  finished  the  trusses  some  time  ago — but  I 
feel  doubtful  whether  these  things  will  interest 
you.  Nevertheless  they  form  the  staple  of  the 
conversation  here,  and  as  a  faithful  correspon 
dent,  I  must  depict  things  as  they  are — not  as  we 
would  have  them. 

If  you  want  to  learn  here  what  any  one  thinks 
of  the  Patent  Brake,  you  can  quickly  get  it.  But 
if  you  want  to  know  what  is  thought  of  the  last 
article  of  the  "  Autocrat,''  you  will  have  consider 
able  difficulty. — By  the  way,  if  you  have  read  it, 
tell  me  what  you  think  of  it  when  you  write. 


38  Letters,  1853-1868 

Charley  Lamborn,  I  presume  will  be  kept 
pretty  busy  at  the  crops  for  some  time  after  his 
return.  Neither  the  attractions  of  the  city,  nor 
the  encouraging  smiles  of  the  Chester  County 
girls,  will  be  able  to  allure  him  from  his  rustic 
seclusion.  There  was  a  friend  of  Will  Cox's 
here  the  other  day,  and  we  had  some  talk  about 
the  "  Athens  of  America."  His  name  is  Speak- 
man  ;  probably  you  know  him  also. 

Hoping  to  hear  from  you  soon,  I  remain 

Very  truly  your  friend, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Altoona,  Augt.  9th,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

I  received  thy  letter  of  yesterday,  on  returning 
this  evening  from  Mifflin.  I  would  say,  accept 
Mr.  Curtis'  offer — making  the  time  the  first  week 
in  December,  with  no  intervening  lecture  by  him 
in  Philada.  after  that  for  the  charitable  association 
he  names. 

Thee  might  state  in  writing  to  him,  that  we  do 
not  think  that  with  the  lapse  of  a  month,  his 
name  would  be  any  the  less  acceptable  to  a 
Philada.  audience  in  consequence  of  his  previous 
lectures. 


Gen* I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  39 

I  expect  to  be  in  Philada.  on  Friday  morning, 
but  lest  something  should  occur  to  detain  me, 
please  write  me  anything  else  that  may  come  to 
thy  knowledge  in  relation  to  this  business,  send 
ing  it  not  later  than  1 1  o'clock  A.  M.,  on  Thurs 
day,  by  our  train  from  nth  &  Market,  care  of 
T.  A.  Scott. 

Truly  thine, 

W.  J.  PALMER. 


OFFICE 
PENNSYLVANIA  RAIL  ROAD  COMPANY, 

Philada.  Aug.  17,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

I  came  down  late  this  morning,  having  been 
sick  and  somewhat  doubtful  until  the  10  o'clock 
train  as  to  the  propriety  of  coming  to  town 
to-day. 

I  find  on  my  desk  your  favor  enclosing  letter 
prepared  for  Bayard  Taylor,  which  I  have  signed 
—  and  Curtis'  manly  and  honorable  note.  Of 
course  we  will  reply,  that  we  have  no  special  anti- 
slavery  object  in  view,  and  that  we  will  pay  him 
the  fiftv.  Thee  had  better  write  him  to  that 


40  Letters,  1853-1868 

effect  at  once.  Of  course  there  is  no  objection 
to  the  topic  which  he  alludes  to. 

If  we  get  both  Curtis  and  Bayard,  we  have  a 
splendid  beginning — and  must  look  out  for  some 
one  to  complete  the  trio.  Wendell  Phillips  has 
been  making  himself  so  famous  with  his  scathing 
Junius-like  letter  to  the  high  Dignitaries  in  Mas 
sachusetts,  that  I  am  more  and  more  inclined  to 
have  him.  If  he  won't  accept,  how  will  Starr 
King  do  ? 

I  regret  that  my  sickness  will  prevent  me  from 
going  to  Riverton  with  thee  this  evening. 

Truly, 

W.  J.  P. 


Aug.  19,  1859. 
DR.  ISAAC  : 

I  came  in  town  to-day  and  called  at  your  store, 
but  thee  was  out.  I  think  before  going  to  New 
York,  it  would  be  well  to  call  at  the  Musical 
Fund  Hall  and  ascertain  in  regard  to  negroes — 
also  at  Concert  Hall  in  regard  to  the  time  that 
Hall  is  let  to  the  Fair  people.  Also  on  the  Fair 
people  to  see  if  it  would  be  practicable  for  them 
to  vacate  their  room  for  one  night.  With  these 


'  I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  41 


data,  thee  could,  if  thee  could  find  time,  call  on 
Curtis  while  in  New  York  and  endeavor  to  fix 
the  precise  week  for  his  lecture. 

Tell  Beecher  we  want  to  get  up  an  anti-slavery 
or  at  least  a  liberal  course  —  that  we  have  secured 
Curtis  and  want  Phillips  and  himself  to  complete 
the  trio.  That  the  effect  would  be  beneficial  on 
the  minds  of  citizens  of  Philada.  &c. 

Thine  truly, 

WM.  J.  P. 

If  thee  knows  any  one  who  could  introduce 
thee  by  letter  to  Beecher  it  would  be  better. 
Try  Lucretia  Mott. 


DR.  ISAAC  : 

I  have  thought  of  a  good  name  for  our  pro 
posed  course  of  lectures  (of  course  it  ought  to 
have  a  name  and  a  distinctive  one — or  we  should 
get  confounded  with  the  other  Concerns). 

If  thee  likes  the  name  of  "  The  Young  Men's 
Liberal  or  the  Philada.  Liberal  Course  of  Lec 
tures"  use  it  in  thy  negotiations  at  New  York. 

If  thee  sees  Chapin,  tell  him  our  object  is  to 
get  up  a  course  of  liberal  lectures  in  Philada. — 


42  Letters,  1853-1868 

that  we  have  engaged  Curtis,  and  that  our  main 
purpose  is  to  liberalize.  —  But  I  forbear.  Don't 
forget  about  the  evidences  of  our  good  faith  and 
responsibility. 

Very  truly  thine, 

W.  J.  P. 


St.  Louis,  Planters  House, 

Sep.  I4th,  1859. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

Thy  interesting  letter  was  duly  received  last 
evening.  I  reached  here  last  Saturday,  having 
stopped  on  my  way  from  the  East,  at  Columbus, 
Cincinnati,  and  Louisville  long  enough  to  take  a 
peep  at  the  streets  and  inhabitants  of  those  cities. 
From  Cincinnati,  I  of  course,  came  by  the  Ohio 
&  Mississippi  Rail  Road.  It  is  one  of  the  pleas- 
antest  Roads  in  the  Western  country.  If  Dickens 
comes  out  to  St.  Louis,  I  think  he  will  insert  a 
special  chapter  of  astonishment  in  his  forthcom 
ing  "American  Notes,"  at  the  energy  and  daring 
which  has  constructed  a  Road  340  miles  long 
through  a  comparatively  uninhabited  expanse 
like  this.  Of  course  the  Ohio  &  Miss,  cannot 
compare  in  engineering  obstacles  with  our 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  43 

Pennsylvania  Roads,  but  then  we  expect  greater 
things  from  the  East. 

The  newness  of  everything  out  here,  is  what 
prepares  us  for  astonishment.  When  we  see 
structures  of  such  magnitude  in  the  prairies  and 
forests  of  Indiana  and  Illinois,  it  is  just  as  if 
the  aboriginal  savages  had  joined  and  put  up  a 
St.  Paul's  Cathedral  in  the  swamps  of  Cairo. 

I  had  a  most  interesting  expedition  on  Sunday 
and  Monday  last.  In  company  with  a  young 
gentleman  of  St.  Charles,  Mr.  Cunningham,  I 
rode  over  to  the  point  at  the  junction  of  the 
Mississippi  and  Missouri  Rivers  to  examine  Mr. 
Thomson's  land.  It  is  an  immense  belt  of  over 
3000  acres  running  across  the  neck  from  one 
river  to  the  other,  close  to  where  they  unite. 
We  had  to  ride  20  miles  across  the  prairie  before 
reaching  it.  The  soil  was  a  black  mould  as  rich 
as  the  Delta  of  the  Nile — and  like  it,  subject  to 
annual  overflow,  and  every  seven  years,  to  the 
"great  rise"  which  does  not  leave  very  much  of 
it  visible  except  to  the  mermaids  (if  there  are  any 
in  such  muddy  waters) — or  at  least  to  the  alligator- 
garfish.  A  nephew  of  Mr.  Thomson's  came  out 
to  report  on  the  property,  last  spring  was  a  year. 
He  was  rowed  over  the  tract  in  a  boat,  and  by 
soundings,  assured  himself  that  the  property  was 


44  Letters,  1853-1868 

beneath.  He  left  with  the  opinion  that  the  water- 
privileges  were  undeniable.  On  the  occasion  of 
my  visit,  however,  the  water  was  low — and  I  had 
visual  demonstration  of  the  existence  of  the  tract, 
as  far  as  the  dense  forests  of  magnificent  trees 
would  permit.  The  inhabitants  of  the  "  Point  " 
are  not  such  as  one  would  choose  for  neighbors, 
if  selecting  a  site  for  a  country  residence.  I  am 
afraid  they  would  not  pass  muster  at  Germantown 
or  Staten  Island.  The  isolated  situation  of  the 
neck,  its  liability  to  overflows,  and  to  fever  and 
ague,  and  the  uncertainty  of  the  titles  of  most  of 
the  land,  have  created  a  prejudice  against  it — and 
it  has  been  passed  by,  by  decent  settlers,  although 
it  is  within  25  miles  of  St.  Louis,  and  immedi 
ately  opposite  Alton. 

It  has  consequently  been  peopled  (at  the  rate 
perhaps,  of  one  man  to  every  ten  thousand  trees) 
by  thieves  and  scoundrels — some  of  whom  would 
esteem  it  a  happiness  to  be  able  to  rid  you  of 
your  purse,  at  the  small  risk  of  taking  your  life. 
Mr.  Cunningham  carried  his  Colt's  revolvers 
in  a  belt  around  his  waist  —  otherwise  there 
were  some  of  Mr.  Thomson's  tenants  (don't 
imagine  that  they  ever  paid  any  rent  or  that 
Mr.  T.  was  ever  aware  of  their  relationship 
to  him),  whom  I  should  much  have  preferred 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  45 

regarding  from  the  bluffs  of  Illinois  across  the 
River,  than  to  visit  them  in  their  own  eligible 
mansions. 

We  did  not  go  quite  down  to  the  forks,  but 
we  took  dinner  with  the  man  whose  farm  extended 
to  the  point  of  union.  Our  dinner  by  the  way 
consisted  of  crackers  and  cheese  with  a  dessert  of 
peaches,  eaten  in  the  log  store  of  this  gentleman. 
Bread  was  a  luxury  not  to  be  thought  of.  I  took 
especial  interest  in  Mr.  Perkinson,  our  Landlord. 
It  was  something  to  be  the  owner  in  fee  simple, 
of  the  angular  deposit  that  divides  the  largest 
river  on  this  Continent  or  in  the  world,  from  the 
next  largest.  The  individual  that  could  boast  of 
this  distinction  was  an  old  man  with  silvery  locks, 
a  face  yellow  with  exposure  and  with  continued 
attacks  of  the  "  ager,"  and  of  a  quiet  assured 
manner  and  slow,  slightly  tremulous  voice.  He 
would  not  take  any  remuneration  for  his  proven 
der,  and  we  left  pleased  with  his  hospitality,  and 
with  finding  a  human  being  that  was  too  high- 
toned  to  skin  us.  He  told  us,  on  our  inquiring 
the  character  of  some  of  his  neighbors  (tenants 
of  Mr.  Thomson),  that  he  did  not  associate  with 
them.  Bless  the  old  man's  aristocracy.  He 
was  a  gentleman  of  the  "  Point,"  by  a  patent  of 
nobility  issued  by  Nature. 


46  Letters,  1853-1868 

Well  we  got  belated  that  night,  as  we  were 
returning,  by  one  of  our  horses  foundering,  and 
were  obliged  to  put  up  all  night  at  a  little  cabin 
in  the  woods,  where  the  children  had  the  "  dumb 
ager  " — and  the  grown  people  the  more  ordinary 
type  of  this  disease.  In  fact,  everybody  on  the 
point  was  enjoying  this  malady  at  the  time  of  our 
visit — including  the  whole  town  of  "  Portage  des 
Sioux."  When  we  asked  a  man  how  he  was,  the 
usual  reply  was — "  Oh  pooty  well — only  a  little 
ager  that  has  weakened  me  a  little."  If  we  asked 
one  of  our  witnesses  if  he  would  be  up  at  the  trial 
he  answered,  Yes,  he  expected  to,  if  his  ager  would 
let  him.  And  the  woman  would  apologize  for 
their  cooking  by  telling  us  that  they  "  were  down 
all  day  yesterday  with  a  fit  of  the  ague."  The 
following  conversation  passed,  as  we  passed  a 
native  on  the  Road — Mr.  Cunningham — "  Hallo, 

Mr. how  do    you    do  —  how    are    you 

all  over  at  Portage  (an  adjacent  town)  —  all 
well  ?  "  The  gentleman  addressed — "  No — we're 
all  sick."  The  sickness  was  the  inevitable  ager. 
Between  thee  and  me,  Isaac,  I  wouldn't  live 
a  year  on  Mr.  Thomson's  big  tract,  if  the 
Bonus  was  a  gold  piece  under  each  tree.  But 
Western  people  look  at  these  things  in  a 
different  light. 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  47 

After  this  expedition,  I  am  persuaded  that 
"  Eden  "  was  not  situated  at  Cairo,  but  at  the 
forks  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri.  I  could 
fancy  that  it  would  be  some  credit  to  a  man  to 
"  be  jolly,"  in  a  location  like  this. 

I  returned  the  next  morning  to  St.  Louis  in  a 
sail  boat,  30  miles  distant  on  the  "  Father  of 
Waters."  We  passed  the  mouth  of  a  river  whose 
waters  had  rolled  3000  miles  from  their  source, 
and  had  yet  to  flow  a  thousand  more  before  reach 
ing  the  sea.  I  go  from  here  to  Keokuk  to-morrow, 
and  expect  to  be  in  Philadelphia  early  next  week, 
when  we  will  talk  about  the  Lectures. 

W.  J.  PALMER. 


Philadelphia,  Apr.  7,  1860. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

I  must  beg  a  thousand  pardons  for  having  dis 
appointed  thee  last  evening. 

I  found,  however,  that  after  delays  at  the  stable 
which  I  had  not  anticipated,  I  reached  home  too 
late  to  permit  me  to  return  by  the  7  o'clock  train. 
I  should  have  come  by  the  Passenger  cars  as  a 
last  resort,  but  on  a  close  calculation  found  that 


48  Letters,  1853-1868 

they  would  not  put  me  at  Arch  St.  Wharf  by 
8.15  P.M. — unless  it  proved  to  be  an  exceptional 
case,  while  there  would  of  course  be  no  time 
to  fulfill  the  engagement  I  made  to  call  on  thee. 
I  would  after  all  have  come  in  town  and  seen 
thee — but  that  Father  desired  me  to  accompany 
him  on  a  little  matter  of  business. 

Thine  in  haste, 

WILLIAM  J.  PALMER. 


OFFICE 
PENNSYLVANIA  RAIL  ROAD  COMPANY, 

Philadelphia,  Augt.  2,  1861. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

Your  pleasant  note  in  pencil  from  the  shore 
was  reed,  this  morning. 

I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  have  such  agreeable 
quarters — but  regret  exceedingly  for  your  sake, 
that  those  young  ladies  should  have  beat  a 
retreat  so  early.  Is  there  any  chance  of  their 
rallying  and  returning  to  the  scene  of  action 
after  they  have  had  time  to  rest  and  reflect  on 


Gen'l  Wm.  J.  Palmer  49 

the  impropriety  of  the  stampede  ?  Perhaps  they 
willy  with  re-inforcements. 

I  should  indeed  like  to  run  down  to  the  beach 
on  Saturday  and  sniff  some  of  the  salt  breezes, — 
particularly  as  you  are  there — but  I  do  not  see  at 
present  how  I  can  manage  to  do  so.  In  any  event, 
I  could  only  remain  over  Sunday,  as  Mr.  J.  E. 
Thomson  leaves  here  this  afternoon  for  a  ten 
days  vacation  at  the  same  place. 

I  suppose  you  have  lost  all  interest  in  the 
Republic  since  you  reached  Atlantic  City — news 
papers  you  probably  consider  as  part  of  the  town 
vanities  which  you  have  temporarily  renounced. 
As  the  ocean  and  the  sky  still  obey  the  everlast 
ing  laws  of  Nature,  you  no  doubt  find  it  difficult 
to  realize  that  Governments  should  be  flying  from 
their  orbits.  This  is  certainly  a  blissful  state  of 
mind  and  one  well  calculated  to  recruit  the  body 
and  brain.  How  Gen.  Scott  or  Gen.  McDowell 
would  have  relished  such  repose  after  the  Battle 
of  Bull  Run — if  there  had  been  no  danger  to  the 
Capitol. 

Tell  Mr.  Lamborn  that  Harry  left  here  on 
Tuesday  night  for  Altoona,  where  he  will  be 
hereafter  stationed.  Charley  is  at  Annapolis. 

Their  Regiment  is  guarding  the  Branch  Road. 
Col.  Biddle's  Regiment  (the  Wild  Cat  Boys) 


50  Letters,  1853-1868 

has  returned  to  Harrisburgh  from  Cumberland 
and  will  be  sent  imm'y.  to  reinforce  Gen.  Banks. 
You  will  remember  that  the  Kennett  Square 
Boys  under  Capt.  Fred.  Taylor  are  in  this 
Regiment. 

I  suppose  you  have  Ed.  Lewis  at  Atlantic  also. 
If  so  give  him  my  respects. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.   PALMER. 


OFFICE 
PENNSYLVANIA  RAIL  ROAD  COMPANY, 

Philadelphia,  Nov.  jrd,  1861. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

Your  letter  reached  me  at  Carlisle.  I  was 
much  pleased  to  hear  from  you.  I  have  been 
in  Philada.  for  a  few  days  past,  but  have  been 
so  steadily  engaged  in  efforts  to  facilitate  the 
equipment  of  our  Company,  as  to  be  unable  to 
see  any  of  my  friends.  I  believe,  I  at  last  see 
daylight  in  regard  to  arms  —  and  expect  to  have 
pistols  and  sabres  at  "  Camp  Kentucky "  by 
Wednesday  next. 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  51 


It  is  needless  for  me  to  say  that  I  shall 
always  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  wherever  I 
am  —  but  particularly  when  I  get  out  to  Ken 
tucky,  and  become  actively  engaged  in  the 
Campaign.  I  shall  no  doubt  have  frequent 
opportunities  of  writing  to  you  —  if  not,  pray 
do  not  let  that  prevent  you  from  letting  me 
hear  how  you  are  and  what  your  views  are  con 
cerning  daily  events,  whenever  it  is  agreeable  to 
you  to  write. 

Come  up  and  pay  us  a  visit  at  Camp  Kentucky 
before  we  leave. 

My  regards  to  Ed.  Lewis. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Camp  Buell, 

Louisville,  Dec.  19/61. 
MY  DEAR  ISAAC: 

I  reed,  your  note  as  we  were  on  the  point  of 
leaving  Carlisle  the  last  of  November,  and  avail 
myself  of  this  as  the  first  opportunity  of  briefly 
replying  to  it. 


52  Letters,  1853-1868 

I  wish  you  could  occupy  for  a  half-hour  a  camp 
stool  in  my  tent  this  splendid  December  after 
noon  and  observe  the  scene  which  engages  my 
eye  as  I  lift  it  from  this  paper.  There  is  nothing 
particularly  striking  about  it — it  is  a  view  com 
mon  enough  nowadays.  But  it  would  lead  you 
as  it  has  me  this  afternoon  into  a  train  of  thought 
which  is  not  bounded  by  the  picket  rope  with  its 
five  score  horses  on  the  right,  nor  the  neat  line 
of  Sibley  tents  on  the  left — nor  the  guard  tent  in 
the  foreground — nor  even  by  the  cloudless  Ken 
tucky  sky  which  bounds  the  vision. 

What  does  all  this  mean  —  what  am  I  doing 
out  here  in  Kentucky  who  so  lately  was  proud 
to  account  myself  an  established  denizen  of  the 
Quaker  city?  Why  are  these  horses  tied  up  to 
that  picket  rope  where  they  paw  and  pull  at  their 
halters,  and  crowd  up  against  each  other  and  kick 
and  bite  when  they  are  not  eating  their  oats  or 
hay — in  place  of  being  warmly  stabled  this  winter 
weather — and  why  are  bricks  and  mortar  replaced 
by  canvas  in  that  line  of  habitations  for  human 
beings  ? 

Alas  !  the  answer  to  these  questions  is  a  solu 
tion  of  the  great  enigma  of  American  History — 
and  one  might  ponder  on  it  for  a  day  and  find 
himself  no  less  in  a  maze  than  at  the  start. 


Gerfl  Wm.  J.  Palmer  53 


You  no  doubt  must  think  that  I  should  have 
abundant  leisure,  to  be  able  to  indulge  in  such 
speculations  as  these.  But  the  truth  is  to-day 
has  been  a  sort  of  little  epoch  for  us — a  review 
and  inspection,  with  every  man  and  all  his  effects 
on  horseback,  and  the  tents  as  empty  as  before 
we  covered  the  ground  with  our  white  wigwams — 
an  experiment  to  put  every  man  in  marching  con 
dition,  and  to  satisfy  the  Inspector  Gen'l.  of  this 
Department,  Major  Buford  that  we  were  to  a  cer 
tain  extent  soldiers  and  not  a  mere  picnicing  party, 
and  this  afternoon  the  ceremony  being  over  and 
the  men  busily  occupied  in  replacing  their  ward 
robes  in  their  tents,  I  caught  myself  in  a  reverie — 
thinking  about  old  times  and  old  friends  and  the 
change  to  present  times  and  present  things.  So 
I  naturally  came  to  recall  your  unanswered  let 
ter,  and  concluded  to  make  good  the  deficiency 
although  you  would  no  doubt  have  preferred  that 
,1  should  have  given  you  a  few  facts  in  regard  to 
our  condition,  occupation,  &c.  But  when  I  think 
of  facts,  so  many  come  crowding  on  my  mind, 
that  I  hesitate  and  prefer  to  give  you  my  good 
friend  a  few  fancies.  Please  write,  and  remember 

me  to  all  friends. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


54  Letters,  1853-1868 


Camp  Buell, 

Louisville,  Jany.  10/62. 
DEAR  ISAAC: 

I  read  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  your  letter 
of  the  last  day  of  the  old  year. 

I  wish  I  could  answer  it  at  length,  but  you 
promised  you  know,  to  excuse  brevity.  Will 
you  also  graciously  include  in  your  forgiveness 
the  scrap  of  paper  upon  which  this  is  written. 
It  was  not  intended  to  be  in  mourning  but  our 
Quarter  Master  brought  it  from  Louisville  in  a 
wagon  along  with  the  ink,  and  on  the  route  the 
ink  seceded  considerably  to  the  detriment  of  the 
paper.  However,  the  effect  is  not  altogether  dis 
pleasing,  and  if  you  please,  you  can  imagine  me 
in  sackcloth  and  ashes  mourning  for  all  my  friends, 
from  whom  I  am  compelled  to  be  absent. 

To  morrow  we  leave  here,  or  at  least  expect  to, 
bound  South  by  sou-west  —  but  where  we  shall 
next  pitch  our  canvas  houses,  I  do  not  know. 
Such  is  one  of  the  prerogatives  of  being  a  soldier. 
When  a  man  is  in  the  Dry  Goods  or  Railroad 
business,  he  has  a  faint  impression  that  to 


Gen" I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  55 

morrow  he  will  be  in  some  particular  locality. 
But  a  soldier  only  knows  that  he  will  be  where 
the  orders  may  direct  him  to  go  to — if  he  can  get 
there.  There  is  one  other  thing,  I  believe  deter 
mined  upon,  viz  that  wherever  Gen'l  Buell  goes, 
there  will  we  go  also.  If  this  rule  takes  us  to 
Nashville  within  a  month  or  two,  all  I  can  say 
it's  a  place  I  have  never  visited  before,  and  never 
expected  to  visit  in  such  good  company. 

Write  to  me  frequently,  and  direct  as  hereto 
fore — Your  letters  will  be  forwarded  to  wherever 
we  may  be. 

Remember  me  to  any  friends  —  and  when  that 
speck  of  war  with  England  enlarges  into  actual 
conflict  (if  it  should),  and  camps  in  this  country 
become  even  more  numerous  than  they  are, 
remember  there  is  a  berth  for  you  in  the  Ander 
son  Troop  to  fight  either  negro-driving  secession 
ists  or  cotton-crazed  Englishmen. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


In  answer  to  your  question  I  have  the  honor 
to  inform  you  that  at  present  I  am  Captain  of 
the  Troop. 


56  Letters,  1853-1868 


Up  the  Cumberland, 

Feb.  26/62. 
DEAR  ISAAC  : 

As  I  expect  to  be  pretty  busy  after  reaching 
Nashville,  I  have  concluded  to  put  in  the  time 
aboard  this  fine  boat,  or  that  portion  of  it  not 
occupied  with  military  duties,  or  in  viewing  the 
sunken  forests  that  line  this  river,  in  replying  to 
the  unanswered  letters  of  my  friends.  We  left 
Louisville  on  Monday  with  the  General's  staff, 
and  should  by  this  time  have  been  very  near 
Nashville,  but  for  the  necessity  of  laying  up  to 
coal  at  one  point  and  at  another  to  avoid  the 
dangers  from  drift  and  snags  attending  a  night 
voyage  on  this  swollen  stream.  The  Cumber 
land  is  now  higher  than  it  has  been  for  probably 
a  dozen  years,  and  is  navigable  for  over  400 
miles.  Nearly  all  the  houses  along  its  banks  are 
immersed  —  the  people  having  scows  moored  to 
their  porches  ready  to  embark  for  the  back  coun 
try  should  the  deluge  increase,  also  for  the  pur 
pose  of  communicating  with  and  receiving  their 
necessary  supplies  from  terra  firma.  They  nearly 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  57 

all  cheer  us,  and  the  women  wave  their  handker 
chiefs  at  us  as  we  pass — sometimes  close  enough 
almost  to  look  down  their  chimneys — We  have 
not  yet,  it  is  true,  been  invited  to  "  a  ball "  by 
these  aborigines — but  this  little  omission  we  con 
ceive  to  be  due  to  the  fact  that  they  have  no 
foundation  solid  enough  for  a  cotillion  party 
within  a  convenient  distance  and  therefore  will 
ingly  excuse  them. 

I  feel  puzzled  to  know  how  the  Nashville  peo 
ple  are  going  to  receive  us  —  whether  as  if  they 
had  determined  to  make  the  best  of  a  bad  bar 
gain —  with  a  sort  of  constrained  civility — or 
morosely  and  sullenly  as  men  whose  pride  had 
reached  a  deep  mortification  but  whose  interest 
and  the  force  of  circumstances  had  forced  them 
to  bear  the  result,  or  with  a  quiet  and  humble  joy 
as  a  penitent  child  would  greet  the  father  who  had 
been  compelled  to  punish  it  but  with  whom  it  had 
now  made  its  peace  —  or  lastly  with  loud  exulta 
tion  and  noisy  demonstrations  of  loyal  feeling  long 
repressed  but  now  breaking  irresistibly  through 
the  floodgates  sweeping  them  to  oblivion.  Per 
haps  we  may  have  a  mixture  of  all  these.  But 
the  deep  genuine  happiness  which  the  arrival  of 
our  army  will  confer  upon  those  sincere  Union 
hearts  whose  faith  has  never  wavered — who  have 


58  Letters,  1853-1868 

steadily  adhered  to  the  despised  cause  amidst  per 
secution,  doubts,  Bull  Run  victories  and  all  man 
ner  of  discouragements — the  joy  of  these  faithful 
souls  will  compensate  us  for  all  lack  of  welcome 
on  the  part  of  the  rest. 

But  after  I  have  been  in  the  Tennessee  Capitol 
long  enough  to  find  out  I  will  write  and  let  you 
know  all  about  it.  I  can  then  also  tell  you  how 
the  ladies  behave  —  a  matter  which  must  always 
be  fraught  with  interest  to  a  young  bachelor  like 
yourself.  My  regards  to  Ed.  Lewis,  Jas.  Parrish 
and  any  of  my  friends  you  may  meet. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Scott  Barracks,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

March  i6th,  '62. 
MY  DEAR  ISAAC  : 

Your  very  agreeable  letter  of  the  8th  inst., 
reached  me  as  soon  after  it  was  written  as  we 
expect  the  mails  to  reach  us  here. 

I  am  glad  to  learn  that  your  business  is  moving 
along  so  prosperously.  If  you  can  stem  the 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  59 


current  at  all  now,  the  flood  tide  which  will  follow 
the  successful  closing  of  this  war,  will  certainly 
lead  you  on  to  fortune.  You  know  what  I 
prophesied  for  Ned  Lewis  and  yourself  when 
you  embarked  on  your  business  career.  I  am 
very  happy  to  learn  that  the  result  of  your  first 
year's  trial  has  exceeded  your  expectations. 

We  are  still  quartered  at  the  Hotel  which  we 
invaded  the  first  night  of  our  arrival  in  Nashville. 
We  do  not  trouble  the  honest  Landlord  with 
attending  to  our  personal  comfort — but  have 
allotted  his  good  wife  and  himself  one  room, 
which  experience  in  the  field  —  twelve  men  to  a 
tent  —  has  satisfied  us  is  ample  for  two  rebels. 
The  old  fellow  behaves  very  well  however,  and 
the  other  day  presented  me  with  some  sweet 
potatoes  from  his  farm  in  the  country  —  which 
were  quite  an  addition  to  our  pork,  beans  and 
crackers.  He  has  confessed  that  the  Yankee 
soldiers  are  a  great  deal  better  behaved  than 
those  of  the  Confederacy,  and  that  he  never  had 
any  particular  fault  to  find  with  the  "old  Union." 

We  haven't  many  friends  in  the  "City  of 
rocks,"  as  they  call  Nashville  —  our  staunchest 
and  most  reliable  ones  are  those  of  the  despised 
race.  The  negroes  here  fairly  and  fully  realize 
the  situation.  They  come  into  me  every  day  to 


60  Letters,  1853-1868 

inform  of  concealed  rebel  soldiers  or  contraband 
supplies  hidden  away  in  town.  Our  Troop  is  at 
this  moment  indebted  to  one  for  being  on  full 
allowance  of  forage  for  its  horses  —  instead  of 
half  commons.  He  informed  me  of  a  large  lot  of 
Confederate  corn  concealed  at  a  livery  stable.  I 
got  authority  to  seize  it,  and  in  the  course  of  a 
morning,  wagoned  away  ten  or  twelve  days  sup 
ply  for  our  Company.  The  other  day  a  mulatto 
washerwoman  came  in  to  report  some  Alabama 
soldiers  concealed  at  a  rich  man's  house  on 
Spruce  St.  They  were  found  and  two  of  them 
seized — the  others  were  too  sick  to  remove  — 
These  colored  people  give  us  this  information 
solely  from  the  love  of  the  thing  and  because 
they  desire  in  every  possible  way  to  confound  the 
rebels.  The  information  is  frequently  given  at 
the  risk  of  detection  and  punishment  hereafter. 
"You  Northern  people  have  some  heart,"  the 
mulatto  washerwoman  said  when  she  called  to 
inform  me  of  the  concealed  rebel  soldiers. 
"You's  different  from  our  people — they  haven't 
got  any  heart,  at  all." — Better  wait  my  good 
woman  and  see  the  sequel  before  putting  your 
whole  trust  in  the  Northman. 

Since  I  began  this  letter  this  afternoon,  I  have 
met  in  the  course  of  a  tour  of  duty  a  sister  and 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  61 

niece  of  Gen'l.  Pillow  who  reside  in  a  fine  man 
sion  some  five  miles  South  of  Nashville.  The 
young  lady  invited  me  into  an  adjoining  parlor 
to  shew  me  a  portrait  of  her  Uncle,  whom 
she  thought  a  particularly  handsome  man  and 
as  brave  as  he  was  handsome.  "I  see,"  she 
remarked  "some  of  the  papers  are  trying  to 
make  it  out  that  he  basely  deserted  his  command 
at  Fort  Donelson."  It's  all  false  —  Gen'l.  Pillow 
is  incapable  of  cowardice." 

I  like  to  see  faith  strongly  developed  in  a 
young  lady  —  it's  the  foundation  of  a  great  many 
good  qualities. 

Miss  Narcissa  stated  they  had  been  advised 
to  fly  by  all  their  friends,  before  our  army 
arrived,  but  had  ventured  to  remain.  I  presume 
her  Uncle  at  the  last  moment  told  them  the 
truth  in  regard  to  the  United  States  officers  and 
Army  —  that  they  were  not  gorillas  or  anthro 
pophagi  or  Marshal  Haynaus  and  advised  his 
sister's  family  to  remain. 

There  was  a  younger  sister  of  Miss  Narcissa, 
an  original  artless  little  creature  who  said  in  the 
course  of  the  conversation,  she  was  such  a  poor 
shot,  she  did  not  believe  she  could  hit  one  of  us 
two  paces  off,  if  she  had  a  pistol.  I  asked  her  if 
I  should  give  her  one  and  stand  two  paces  off, 


62  Letters,  1853-1868 


whether  she  would  fire.  "Oh  yes,  she  said  — 
that  she  would  —  but  she  was  sure  she  couldn't 
hit  me/' 

I  was  much  interested  by  the  visit.  You  must 
not  think  however,  that  we  poor  soldiers  have 
many  relaxations  of  this  sort.  This  morning 
in  church,  however,  I  was  quite  amused.  As  I 
entered,  a  little  girl  three  or  four  pews  ahead, 
as  soon  as  she  caught  sight  of  "  them  buttons  " 
commenced  making  the  most  singular  faces  at  me 
that  I  ever  remember  to  have  seen.  One  might 
have  supposed  that  she  had  the  jumping  tooth 
ache  with  all  the  other  facial  complaints  under 
aggravated  circumstances.  It  was  quite  in  place 
with  the  sermon,  however,  for  the  parson  who 
was  a  Presbyterian,  prayed  with  much  fervor 
for  "their  Excellencies  the  President  and  Vice 
President  of  these  Confederate  States."  I  felt 
very  much  inclined  to  exclaim  "d —  n  traitors," 
both  of  them," — but  Gen'l.  Buell's  policy  does 
not  admit  of  such  liberties. 

We  shall  probably  leave  here  before  another 
Sunday  in  the  direction  of  Decatur  or  elsewhere. 
I  shall  always  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  (letters 
will  be  duly  forwarded  from  Nashville)  but  do 
not  expect  as  long  a  letter  as  this  again.  I 
have  been  betrayed  into  "many  words"  from 


I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  63 


the  necessity  of  going  through  with  what  I  had 
begun  to  tell. 

Please  keep  me  out  of  the  papers.  I  have 
no  objection  to  what  you  sent  me  —  but  I  do 
not  ever  want  to  be  on  my  guard  in  writing 

to  you. 

Yours, 

W.  J.  P. 


Direct  via  Nashville, 

Camp  near  Huntsville,  Ala. 

July  5th,  1862. 
MY  DEAR  ISAAC  : 

Your  letter  of  June  reached  me  at  our  camp 
near  Florence,  a  place  you  will  remember  as  having 
been  visited  by  our  gun  boats  on  the  Tennessee 
River  immediately  after  the  capture  of  Fort 
Henry.  It  seemed  like  romance  then  to  hear  of 
our  soldiers  being  actually  in  the  cotton  states — 
but  now  it  is  nothing  wonderful,  and  the  Anderson 
Troop  has  scouted  all  about  there  within  the  last 
fortnight,  while  some  of  us  have  been  far  into  the 
interior  —  almost  a  day's  march  South  from  the 
United  States  lines.  The  marines  on  that  early 


64  Letters,  1853-1868 

gun-boat  must  have  been  very  credulous  indeed, 
for  we  could  not  find  or  hear  of  but  two  Union 
men  in  Florence,  and  one  of  those  was  arrested  by 
his  neighbors  and  sent  to  jail  as  soon  as  the  stern 
of  our  gunboat  was  turned  down  stream  —  and 
was  only  released  therefrom  by  Gen.  Mitchell's 
forces  when  they  paid  a  visit  here  from  Huntsville 
last  April.  The  charge  against  the  poor  fellow 
was  not  Unionism  of  course,  but  stealing — -just  as 
the  kidnappers  on  the  track  of  some  poor  fugi 
tive — get  their  warrant  out  for  burglary  and  not  a 
black  skin.  In  a  word  the  unanimity  for  the  Rich 
mond  conspiracy  is  about  as  great  in  that  North 
Western  corner  of  Alabama  as  it  is  in  Chester 
County  for  the  United  States  Government.  One 
planter  who  has  just  had  50  Bales  of  cotton 
($2,500)  burned  for  him  by  some  Cavalry,  who 
had  dashed  into  our  lines  from  Beauregard's 
army,  told  me  he  "wished  to  God  they'd  com 
promise  this  business,"  meaning  the  War.  I 
looked  at  him  very  seriously,  as  one  would  look 
in  the  face  of  a  little  boy  whom  it  was  necessary 
to  reprove  for  getting  off  a  good  joke  in  Friends' 
Meeting,  and  told  him  there  could  be  no  com 
promise,  —  when  the  men  who  are  in  arms 
against  the  Government  laid  down  those  arms, 
the  war  would  end  of  itself,  and  not  before.  — 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  65 

Another  Planter  in  the  same  rich  valley,  whose 
gin  with  40  or  50  bales  of  cotton  had  been 
destroyed  in  the  same  foray,  acknowledged  that  it 
made  him  feel  rather  "wolfish" — and  seemed  to 
think  he  would  like  to  have  a  "  hand  in  the 
business  himself,"  whenever  he  considered  that 
patriotism  demanded  an  immolation  of  that 
sort  of  property.  But  at  the  same  time  it  did 
not  make  a  Union  man  of  him  by  a  long  shot. 
On  the  contrary,  I  think  he  was  rather  more 
of  a  Secesh  if  anything,  in  consequence  of  this 
manifestation  of  the  vitality  and  daring  of  the 
Confederate  troops,  and  their  ability  to  punish 
backsliders.  Another  saintly  looking  fellow  with 
whom  we  stopped  over  night  on  one  occasion — 
who  did  not  own  any  land,  but  who  had  bought 
his  cotton  on  speculation,  besides  having  some 
in  store,  belonging  to  poor  people  back  in  the 
mountains — lost  all  he  had,  and  the  poor  peoples' 
also  —  some  8000  dollars  worth.  I  asked  with 
some  degree  of  inward  exultation  how  it  "  made 
him  feel  " — expecting  a  very  savage  analysis  of 
his  sentiments.  But  the  sly  old  fellow  replied, 
as  meek  as  Moses — "  It  makes  me  feel  —  very 
poo-o-or."  If  he  hadn't  looked  so  very  innocent, 
I  should  have  felt  inclined  to  sabre  him,  for 
letting  me  down  so  suddenly.  This  magnanimous 


66  Letters,  1853-1868 

individual  who  bore  no  malice  against  those  who 
had  stolen  down  in  the  night  and  in  half  an  hour 
destroyed  his  little  fortune,  lived  on  the  great 
"  Dixon  "  Estate  of  3000  acres  —  near  Buzzard 
Roost — in  a  house  rented  of  the  hundred-negro- 
owning  Landlord,  Mr.  Dixon.  Dixon's  son  is  a 
Lieutenant  in  the  rebel  army. — "They  wanted  to 
make  him  Colonel,"  said  George,  a  faithful  servant 
on  the  plantation — "  but  he  said  he  didn't  list  for 
the  position — so  he  went  in  the  ranks."  If  so,  I 
expect  he  wishes  he  was  out  of  them — for  he  must 
be  pretty  well  tired  of  being  trotted  from  swamp 
to  swamp  in  old  Mississippi,  and  long  to  be  back 
at  his  delightful  Alabama  home,  supplied  as  it 
is,  with  every  comfort  and  with  negroes  enough 
to  execute  every  wish  almost  before  he  could 
anticipate  it. 

George  was  one  of  those  few  bondmen  that  one 
would  not  care  to  see  free;  a  sort  of  Uncle  Tom 
before  leaving  the  Kentucky  plantation — a  steady, 
faithful  old  fellow  whom  his  master  would  trust 
with  the  key  to  his  bank — a  practical,  intelligent, 
sober-minded,  clear-headed  steward,  who  could 
see  the  path  of  duty  in  his  humble  sphere  as  well 
as  any  of  his  pale-faced  masters  in  theirs  and  was 
more  disposed  to  walk  in  it  than  they.  George 
had  charge  of  all  the  forage  on  his  master's 


Gen* I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  67 


plantation,  and  I  bought  the  corn  of  him  to  feed 
the  horses  of  our  squad.  He  could  neither  read 
nor  write,  but  he  ran  up  in  his  head  what  the  corn 
came  to,  sooner  than  I  could.  I  feel  tolerably 
certain  that  all  the  money  I  gave  him  went  into 
the  pocket  of  Massa  Dixon  —  who  by  the  way 
was  scouting  around  somewhere  in  the  woods 
afraid  to  come  home  by  reason  of  a  bad  con 
science  while  loyal  soldiers  were  in  the  valley. 
George  was  as  happy  as  any  old  and  near  friend 
of  the  family  could  be  to  hear  that  I  was  ac 
quainted  with  Mr.  Collins  of  Pennsylvania  —  a 
railroad  man  who  had  built  a  big  bridge  on  the 
Memphis  &  Charleston  Road  near  by,  and  who 
lived  with  the  Dixons  while  here  and  was  held  in 
high  esteem  by  them.  They  had  even  paid  him 
a  visit  at  Philada.  George  had  picked  up  a  few 
military  words — which  he  thought  he  was  in  duty 
bound  to  use  to  soldiers.  So  when  I  bade  him 
good  bye  he  said — "  I  shall  report  you,  Captain, 
to  my  young  Massa  (the  Lieutenant  aforesaid) 
as  a  friend  of  Mr.  Collins."  I  did  not  inter 
dict  him  —  but  I  thought  to  myself  it  would 
no  doubt  be  more  consonant  with  his  "  young 
Massa's  "  views,  as  it  would  with  mine,  to  pay 
our  compliments  to  each  other  in  person  on 
another  field. 


68  Letters,  1853-1868 

But  would  you  upset  the  quiet  cheerful  course 
of  George's  busy  and  self-respectful  life — even  to 
make  him  free?  I  don't  think  I  would  like  to 
try  the  experiment — at  least  until  his  "  old  Massa" 
should  get  hard  up  and  be  compelled  to  sell  him, 
or  until  his  "young  Massa"  should  gamble  him 
away  in  some  spree  or  stock  speculation. 

I  am  surprised  at  the  intelligence  and  shrewd 
ness  of  the  negroes  away  down  here  in  the  cotton 
States,  the  inner  dungeon  of  the  great  African 
prison  house.  Their  quiet  wit  would  not  dis 
grace  the  "  pisentry  of  ould  Ireland."  You  meet 
everywhere  big,  greasy  fellows  black  as  the  ace  of 
spades  who  answer  you  promptly  and  to  the  point 
— while  a  great  many  of  the  Whites  are  muddy- 
headed  and  slow.  In  casting  about  for  a  reason 
for  this,  I  could  only  ascribe  it  ist  —  to  labor  — 
they  do  all  the  work,  and  work  is  a  great  educator, 
2nd  —  to  greater  social  contact — just  as  men  are 
ordinarily  brighter  in  cities  than  in  the  country — 
there  are  more  of  them  and  they  rub  together, 
exciting  and  communicating  the  electricity  of 
thought. 

Lieut.  Rosengarten  and  I  were  taking  a  ride 
near  Tuscumbia  the  other  day  when  we  met  a 
negro,  whose  wife  had  been  sold  away  somewhere, 
and  who  had  to  take  care  of  his  children  himself 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  69 

between  the  hours  of  labor.  It  was  Saturday 
afternoon,  and  he  was  half  way  on  a  walk  of 
seven  miles  to  see  them,  carrying  on  his  arm  a 
basket  of  gingerbread  which  he  had  baked  him 
self  for  them.  We  asked  him  how  he  liked  to 
be  in  bonds.  He  said  he  did  not  like  it  and  he 
did  not  think  the  Good  Lord  ever  intended  it 
for  any  of  his  children.  "  But,"  said  I,  "  don't 
the  Scriptures  say — "  By  the  sweat  of  thy  brow 
thou  shalt  earn  thy  bread  ?  "  "  Yes,"  he  said 
with  energy,  "  but  the  Scriptures  don't  say  that 
Massa  shall  earn  his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  my 
brow."  Sure  enough  Cuffee !  it  can't  well  be 
reconciled. 

When  we  first  came  into  this  valley  from  the 
Corinthian  woods,  the  negroes  crowded  in  groups 
to  the  fences  to  see  the  soldiers  march  by.  The 
Anderson  Troopers  were  so  happy  at  being  once 
more  able  to  "  see  a  long  ways,"  after  having 
been  penned  up  for  two  months  in  the  aboriginal 
forests  and  swamps  of  Mississippi  and  Tennessee, 
that  they  set  up  Dixie  and  other  songs,  as  they 
marched  along,  greatly  to  the  delectation  of  the 
Africans.  One  happy  looking  dog  showed  his 
ivory  from  ear  to  ear,  as  our  boys  rolled  out  "  I 
wish  I  was  in  Dixie,"  and  then  vented  himself 
—  "Well,  here  ye  is"  —  as  much  as  to  say  — 


70  Letters,  1853-1868 

You've  been  wishing  you  were  in  Dixie  for  a 
good  while  —  they  told  this  dark  you'd  never  get 
here  —  but  it  seems  to  be  a  mistake,  from  all 
appearances  —  and  he  yah  yahed  at  his  Massa's 
disappointment,  until  we  all  joined  in  out  of 
sympathy. 

I  have  run  on  so  long  with  these  yarns,  that  I 
have  not  retained  enough  room  on  my  paper  to 
thank  you  for  your  generous,  patriotic,  energetic, 
and  successful  exertions  to  fill  up  the  thinned 
ranks  of  my  Company.  But  it  makes  no  differ 
ence.  I  could  not  thank  you  sufficiently  if  I  had 
a  whole  sheet  at  disposal.  I  might  as  well  fail 
with  six  lines  therefore  as  with  a  greater  number. 
I  had  no  idea  whatever  of  the  difficulties  you 
were  encountering  —  but  I  appreciated  all  when 
you  mentioned  the  character  of  the  first  one.  I 
had  some  taste  of  the  fruit  last  fall  while  organiz 
ing  the  Co.,  but  I  had  at  least,  an  official  and 
recognized  position,  while  you  had  nothing  but  a 
stout  heart,  unconquerable  perseverance,  a  mind 
quick  to  expedients,  and  energy  that  scattered  all 
opposition  to  the  winds.  It  is  one  thing  to  have 
a  friend  who  can  chat  away  the  hours  of  peace 
and  leisure  with  you  in  agreeable,  but  idle  society 
—  but  quite  another  to  have  a  friend  who  puts 
his  shoulder  to  the  wheel  for  you  at  the  moment 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  71 

of  rugged  and  earnest  labor,  and  lends   you  his 
intelligence,   his   wisdom    and    energy    to    bridge 
over  some  gap  in  the  path  to  success  and  honor. 
Remember  me  to  all  our  friends. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Burnett  House, 

Cincinnati,  O.,  Feb.  4/63. 
DEAR  ISAAC: 

I  stopped  here  over  a  train  to  see  Gen.  Buell. 
He  is  attending  the  Court  of  Inquiry  in  his  case, 
which  is  dragging  its  slow  length  along  in  this 
city. 

The  Genl.  looks  well  and  was  glad  to  see  me. 

Isaac,  I  wish  you  would  write  to  me  frequently 
and  without  waiting  for  an  equivalent.  I  will 
write  whenever  an  opportunity  presents.  Please 
send  me  any  newspaper,  magazine  or  pam 
phlet  that  may  contain  at  any  time  anything  im 
portant. 

You  cannot  imagine  how  difficult  it  is  for  us  to 
keep  posted  in  the  field.  We  get  to  attach  the 
utmost  importance  to  matters  of  slight  moment, 


72  Letters,  1853-1868 

and  perhaps  hear  nothing  of  events  and  opinions 
that  stamp  themselves  upon  the  history  of  the 
age.  Write  often. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Camp  Gareche, 

Murfreesboro,  March  28,  '63. 
MY  DEAR  ISAAC  : 

After  a  long  interval,  I  sit  down  again  to  write 
to  you. 

I  have  received  your  letters  of  the  ijth  and 
2Oth  ult.,  and  their  perusal  gave  me  great 
pleasure.  I  have  also  been  frequently  reminded 
of  you  since  by  the  receipt  of  the  newspapers 
which  you  have  so  kindly  sent.  Unfortunately 
the  latter  are  given  so  little  attention  in  these 
western  mails  that  they  only  arrive  after  a  long 
delay.  For  instance  your  copy  of  the  Press  with 
my  letter  to  Rev.  Mr.  Stine  to  which  you  referred 
in  your  letter  of  the  ijth  Feby.  has  just  reached 
me  to  day.  I  presume  this  is  because  they  had 
on  hand  at  Louisville  such  a  large  accumulation 
of  mail  matter  during  the  breaks  in  the  Railroads 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  73 

North  and  South  of  Nashville — and  that  here 
after  newspapers  will  come  more  regularly. 

Lieut.  Col.  Lamborn  arrived  in  due  time,  and 
his  services  have  been  invaluable  to  me.  He  is 
in  command  of  the  men  left  in  Nashville,  who 
are  awaiting  the  arrival  of  horses  to  mount  them, 
before  being  sent  up  to  Camp  Gareche.  I  shall 
probably  take  most  of  the  men  here  and  go  down 
after  them  in  a  few  days,  doing  a  little  runabout 
scouting  on  the  way,  as  there  are  considerable 
numbers  of  what  Gen'l.  Rosecrans  calls  "scalla- 
wags "  on  the  Road,  or  infesting  the  vicinity  of 
the  Road  from  here  to  Nashville. 

The  men  are  behaving  as  well  as  I  could  desire — 
in  fact  there  should  never  have  been  any  difficulty 
with  such  men,  they  are  calculated  to  make  the 
best  possible  soldiers,  and  but  for  bad  manage 
ment,  would  have  fulfilled  throughout,  every 
anticipation  that  was  formed  concerning  them. 
I  pity  the  poor  fellows — who  mutinied — so  many 
of  them  were  led  into  it  without  reflection  and  in 
that  careless  accidental  way  by  which  it  is  so  easy 
to  stray  from  the  right  path  into  the  wrong. 
These  men  take  it  very  much  to  heart,  now  that 
the  proper  soldierly  feeling  has  been  restored, 
and  seem  abashed  and  down  hearted.  It  is  a 
good  sign  however  and  promises  good  fruits  and 


74  Letters,  1853-1868 

is  much  better  than  the  bold,  defiant,  reckless 
air  of  audacity  which  characterized  them  when  I 
first  came  out.  As  I  write  there  is  a  man  doing 
Private's  duty  as  orderly  at  my  tent  door — a 

fine  soldierly  looking  fellow  named  P of 

Bucks  Co.  He  was  a  Sergeant  before,  but  has 
been  reduced  to  the  ranks  in  consequence  of 
being  among  the  mutineers  (all  the  non-com'd. 
officers  were  reduced  who  participated) — and  has 
had  to  pull  off  his  stripes  since  arriving  at  this 
camp.  I  have  now  no  doubt  but  that  they  will 
all  seek  to  prove  that  they  are  worthy  of  Gen'l. 
Rosecran's  clemency,  and  that  their  one  unfortu 
nate  step  shall  not  prevent  their  Regiment  from 
yet  being  what  we  all  expected  it  would  be  when 
recruited. 

I  hope  the  general  Conscription  Act  will  enable 
us  soon  to  fill  the  thinned  ranks  of  the  Regt.  to 
its  maximum.  Now,  all  you  "  light,  active,  and 
hardy  young  men  "  in  Penna.  who  desire  special 
service,  I  give  you  fair  warning.  If  you  join  the 
Anderson  Cavalry,  you  must  expect  to  behave  as 
soldiers,  to  fare  as  soldiers,  and  to  be  treated  as 
such.  There  is  no  special  service  in  this  army 
that  I  know  of  which  exempts  a  trooper  from 
cleaning  his  horse,  or  from  living  on  hard  crackers 
and  pork  occasionally,  and  sometimes  more 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  75 


frequently.  The  service  is  healthy  to  a  sedentary 
man,  interesting,  and  if  performed  well,  highly 
honorable  —  but  there  is  no  exemption  with 
this  Regt.  from  the  usual  fatigue  hardships  and 
dangers  of  a  cavalry  man's  life.  How'd  you 
like  to  join? 

There  are  indications  that  the  rebels  purpose 
attacking  Rosecrans  here  shortly — but  I  hardly 
know  what  to  think.  I  hope  they  will  postpone 
it  a  month,  provided  it  makes  no  difference 
(unfavorably)  to  Gen.  Rosecrans. 

Give    my    regards    to    all    friends,    and    write 

frequently. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Camp  Gareche, 

Near  Murfreesboro,  May  5/63. 
MY  DEAR  ISAAC  : 

I  find  myself  your  debtor  for  two  letters,  the 
last  dated  Apl.  25th,  both  of  which  I  was  very 
glad  to  receive. 

I  presume  you  have  now  entirely  recovered 
from  the  attack  of  illness  which  you  were  still 
suffering  from  at  the  date  of  your  first  letter — 


j6  Letters,  1853-1868 

and  that  you  are  again  attending  to  your  usual 
business  avocations. 

I  have  received  the  papers  which  you  are  so 
kind  as  to  send  —  and  always  read  them  with 
great  interest. 

Charley  Lamborn  and  I  are  particularly  inter 
ested  at  this  time  in  the  results  of  Hooker's 
movement  across  the  Rappahannock.  We  hear 
to-day  that  16  guns  have  been  captured  and  that 
1  Old  Joe  "  expects  to  bag  all  the  rebels  north  of 
the  Pamunkey.  I  hope  his  expectations  will  be 
realized,  but  the  dispatches  are  so  muddy  that  we 
do  not  derive  much  comfort  from  them. 

Mr.  Horn  certainly  proved  to  be  a  very  faithful 
messenger.  I  hope  he  did  not  exact  a  receipt  of  you 
before  he  would  deliver  up  the  innocent  cap  box. 

No  mutineer  has  yet  been  appointed  to  a 
single  office,  commissioned  or  non-commissioned 
in  this  Regt.  Of  course,  when  they  have  wiped 
out  the  stigma  upon  their  character  by  faithful 
service  as  soldiers,  the  official  memory  will  be 
come  dulled,  and  will  fail  to  remind  of  the  serious 
dereliction  of  last  December. 

The  opportunity  will  not  be  wanting  for  this 
vindication.  We  have  already  been  out  on  sev 
eral  scouts  —  and  under  fire — and  the  men  have 
all  behaved  well.  On  one  expedition  towards 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  77 

McMinnville  about  a  month  ago,  we  took  20 
prisoners,  and  killed  and  wounded  5  of  the 
enemy's  cavalry. 

Your  friend  Sergt.  Isaac  Bartram  has  just 
joined  the  Regt.  to  day.  He  is  a  good  soldier 
and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  he  was  not  here 
before,  as  he  has  lost  the  opportunity  for  drill 
and  instruction  which  the  rest  have  enjoyed. 
But  I  have  no  doubt  he  will  shew  himself  worthy 
of  promotion.  Benjamin  Bartram  was  sent  for 
nearly  a  month  ago,  his  parole  not  being  deemed 
binding  by  Genl.  Rosecrans,  in  consequence  of 
the  cartel  not  having  been  observed  in  his  case. 
He  has  not  yet  reported  —  and  his  brother  tells 
me  he  never  received  the  notice.  If  you  see  him 
tell  him  to  come  out  imm'y. 

Lieut.  Col.  Lamborn  is  very  well  and  desires 
to  be  remembered  to  you. 

My  friend  Leonard  Clark  of  Castle  Thunder 
is  here  on  a  visit.  He  has  posted  me  up  on 
affairs  in  Richmond  since  I  left.  The  Captn. 
Webster  —  who  came  near  interrupting  the  se 
renity  of  my  thoughts  the  night  he  entered  our 
prison  by  walking  up  to  me  and  saying  in  an 
abrupt  and  distinct  voice  :  "  I  know  you — you're 
Captn.  Palmer  of  the  Anderson  Troop,  'aint 
you?" — has  been  hung.  Richmond  has  been 


78  Letters,  1853-1868 

pretty  well   cleared   of  citizen    prisoners   by  the 
recent  releases. 

I  reed,  a  letter  from  Harry  Lamborn  about  a 
week  ago.  When  you  see  him  tell  him  I  will 
answer  it  soon. 

Charley  and  I  were  deeply  interested  in  your 
account  of  the  lamentable  catastrophe  that  has 
befallen  our  friend  John  Will.  We  read  it  with 
the  same  mournful  interest  that  we  would  an 
account  of  a  grand  shipwreck.  As  you  learn 
further  details,  please  inform  us,  as  the  most 
minute  particulars  of  the  going  down  of  the 
Royal  George  are  of  absorbing  interest  to  us. 

Alack  !  Alas  !  what  direful  events  this  war  has 
been  the  cause  of.  Will  not  the  grim  demon 
be  satisfied  by  this  last  sacrifice  —  or  must  still 
another  Curtius  leap  into  the  gulf. 

(Entre-nous  strictly — When  will  J.  W.  be  able 
truthfully  to  be  called  a  "  conscript  Father). 

My  light  blue  pants  suited  exactly.  Thank 
you  for  making  the  selection. 

Write    often    and    excuse    my  long   delays    in 
replying.     Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  insert 
the   enclosed    advsement    in   the   Philada.  Press. 
If  possible  have  editors  notice  it. 
Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  79 


Stevenson,  Ala.,  Augt.  26/63. 
MY  DEAR  ISAAC  : 

I  was  very  glad  to  receive  your  two  favors,  the 
last  dated  Augt.  i8th.  I  have  also  received 
various  newspapers  from  you  for  which  accept  my 
thanks.  From  one  of  them  I  learned  that  Ned. 
Lewis  and  yourself  had  been  drafted.  I  think 
with  Lt.  Col.  Lamborn  that  you  are  just  the  boy 
for  a  Body  Guard,  and  shall  expect  you  out  in 
Georgia  with  him.  All  you  have  to  do  is  to  ride 
out  occasionally  with  Gen'l.  Rosecrans,  and  the 
officers  will  let  you  do  just  as  you  please.  How 
can  you  resist  such  a  temptation  ?  Tell  Lewis 
we  can  provide  a  berth  on  this  boat  for  him  also. 
Why  not  come  in  out  of  the  draft  ?  The  Southern 
Confederacy  is  all  falling  to  pieces,  and  I  am 
surprised  that  such  ambitious  and  well  disposed 
young  gentlemen  should  not  wish  to  be  in  at  the 
death. 

You  will  not  be  able  to  get  here  in  time  to  help 
take  Chattanooga,  but  you  might  "  assist "  at 
Atlanta. 

I  just  returned  with  seven  of  our  Companies 
this  morning  from  the  Sequatchie  Valley,  whither 


8o  Letters,  1853-1858 

they  accompanied  the  General  on  a  reconnaissance. 
While  at  Jasper  on  our  return,  the  General  re 
ceived  a  dispatch  (by  signal  lights)  from  the 
Secretary  of  War  stating  that  Sumter  had  been 
reduced  and  that  the  bombardment  of  Charleston 
had  begun  the  day  before.  The  General  was  so 
delighted  that  he  had  General  Reynold's  troops 
ordered  out  and  the  five  Regiments  gave  fifteen 
boisterous  cheers  for  the  result.  The  General 
ran  on  in  this  way  — "  Charleston  !  where  they 
first  fired  on  the  American  flag — where  this  rebel 
lion  began — I  want  to  see  it  reduced  to  ashes — 
I  want  to  see  the  old  flag  which  waved  over  it  in 
April  '6 1  and  which  the  Presidt.  has  carefully  pre 
served,  raised  again  over  Fort  Sumter  by  the 
hands  of  Gen'l.  Anderson." 

Burnside  is  in  East  Tennessee  and  Simon 
Bolivar  Buckner  will  commence  to  hop  soon. — 
10,000  men  can  live  there  without  any  supplies 
but  what  the  country  affords. 

Remember  me  to  friends  and  write  soon.  Tell 
Col.  Lamborn  I  don't  approve  of  the  aristocratic 
ways  he  is  getting  into.  Who  would  have  sus 
pected  that  he  would  so  soon  have  begun  to  wear 

boiled  shirts  ? 

Yours, 

WM.  J.   PALMER. 


Gen* I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  8 1 


Camp  near  Nashville,  June  30/64. 

MY  DEAR  ISAAC  : 

It  has  occurred  to  me  frequently  of  late  that 
no  letter  has  passed  between  us  since  my  return 
from  Philada. 

Inasmuch  as  I  do  not  wish  this  silence  to 
continue,  I  take  the  opportunity  afforded  by 
the  visit  of  one  of  our  officers  Lieut.  Kirk  (a 
member  of  the  Society  of  Friends)  to  Philadelphia, 
to  write  to  you. 

I  want  to  know  how  you  are  spending  this 
hot  and  momentous  Summer  —  what  you  think 
the  prospects  are  of  success  for  our  armies — and 
what  the  spirit  of  the  people  is  at  home. 

You  have  of  course  been  to  the  Sanitary  Fair, 
that  marvel  of  shows.  I  have  received  several 
copies  of  that  gossipy  little  sheet  which  is  pub 
lished  at  the  Fair.  If  you  have  read  it,  you 
may  have  noticed  some  articles  from  a  cavalry 
man.  They  are  written  by  one  of  our  officers, 
and  embody  some  events  in  our  Regimental 
experience. 


82  Letters,  1853-1868 

Charley  Lamborn  is  32  miles  from  here 
engaged  in  confiscating  horses  to  remount  our 
men.  Doubtless  he  is  blessed  by  the  Planters, 
their  wives,  and  above  all,  their  daughters.  Per 
haps  the  last  does  not  trouble  him  however, 
as  it  might  have  done  inuAuld  Lang  Syne,"  as 
I  believe  this  gallant  gentleman  like  yourself  is 
among  those  who  now  count  their  title  clear  to 
mansions  in  —  well  certainly  in  no  place  lower 
than  Heaven.  All  I  have  to  say  is  "vive 
1'amour!" 

Last  Sunday,  Col.  Lamborn  and  myself  had 
a  pleasant  ride  of  30  miles  to  the  Hermitage 
and  back.  The  weather  was  very  warm  —  so 
that  about  dinner  time  we  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  of  stopping  in  at  the  beautiful  place 
of  a  sun-burned  rebellious  gentleman,  and  invit 
ing  him  to  take  dinner  with  us.  He  accepted 
our  invitation  with  all  the  grace  with  which  it 
was  extended,  and  we  accordingly  dined  together 
—  a  fact  which  we  will  be  the  less  apt  to  forget, 
from  the  circumstance  of  our  having  cucumbers 
on  the  table  —  these  vegetables  being  a  rare 
luxury  with  the  Field  and  Staff  of  this  Regi 
ment. 

The  old  gentleman  turned  out  to  be  Mr. 
Donaldson,  a  nephew  of  Old  Hickory's  wife, 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  83 


and  a  cousin  of  Andrew  Jackson  Donaldson 
former  candidate  for  Vice  President.  He  had 
also  been  a  trusted  young  friend  of  Gen'l. 
Jackson,  and  intimated  in  a  very  mild  way 
that  the  Gen'l.  would  have  been  a  Secessionist 
had  he  lived  until  the  present  hour  of  the 
Rebellion. 

I  think  so  too.  I  never  yet  heard  of  a  Poli 
tician  that  could  be  implicitly  trusted. 

Give  my  kindest  regards  to  Miss  Jackson 
when  next  you  happen  by  the  merest  chance  to 
be  in  the  neighborhood  of  Darby  —  also  to  her 
sister.  When  does  the  happy  event  transpire  ? 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Camp  near  Nashville, 

Aug.  5/64. 
MY  DEAR  ISAAC: 

I  was  very  glad  to  receive  your  interesting 
letter  of  July  2Oth. 

We  have  received  horses  and  marching  orders 
at  last,  and  shall  start  in  two  or  three  days  for 
Gen'l.  Thomas's  camp  near  Atlanta.  I  avail 


84  Letters,  1853-1858 

myself  of  the  last  opportunity  to  write  you 
before  starting,  but  you  must  not  forget  that 
mail  communication  is  open  to  the  vicinity  of 
Atlanta,  and  that  I  shall  expect  to  hear  from 
you  frequently  after  you  have  settled  in  your 
Eleventh  street  house  —  and  by  the  bye,  Ike, 
you  couldn't  have  selected  in  my  opinion,  a 
more  agreeable  neighborhood  to  be  at  the  same 
time  central  and  convenient.  I  wish  you  and 
your  fair  consort  a  bountiful  share  of  all  those 
joys  and  blessings  which  Heaven  showers  upon 
the  married  life  of  those  who  love  and  live  for 
each  other.  I  do  not  hope  for  you,  that  the 
honeymoon  may  be  perpetual,  but  that  the  burn 
ing  love  of  this  happy  period  may  give  place  to 
that  pure  and  steady  flame  which  shall  go  out 
only  with  life.  Be  assured  how  gladly  I  would 
have  welcomed  the  opportunity  of  standing  by 
you  on  the  ist  of  September  —  had  not  some 
thing  more  imperative  than  mere  distance  pre 
vented.  Consider  me  there,  however,  and  leave 
a  vacant  place  for  me  on  the  right  of  the  third 
groomsman.  I  cannot  fill  it,  corporeally  speak 
ing — but  you  know  what  Goethe  says : 

u  The  spirit  with  which  we  act  is  the  greatest 
matter." 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  85 

You  may  leave  therefore  a  tolerably  large 
space — and  while  on  this  subject.  Col.  Lamborn 
says  you  may  leave  another  vacant  place  for  him. 
He  sends  his  hearty  congratulations,  and  while 
neither  he  nor  myself  approve  altogether,  or  are 
desirous  of  encouraging  the  too  extensive  adop 
tion  of  this  practice  of  getting  married  until  the 
soldiers  are  mustered  out,  yet  on  a  full  considera 
tion  of  the  whole  matter,  we  have  concluded  out 
of  motives  of  particular  friendship,  to  grant  a 
special  dispensation  in  your  case. 

We  shall  therefore  not  forbid  the  bans  —  but 
shall  stipulate  as  a  condition  precedent,  that  you 
shall,  in  addition  to  the  number  of  kisses  legiti 
mately  accorded  to  you  on  that  occasion,  imprint 
two  hearty  ones  on  the  cheek  of  the  fair  bride 
in  our  behalf — we  being  necessarily  absent  — 
and  you  will  consider  this  as  our  power  of 
attorney  for  you  to  do  all  and  singular  the 
above  things. 

Charley  says,  after  listening  to  a  portion  of 
your  letter  that  I  read  him,  he  feels  very  much 
like  sailing  away  from  this  stormy  ocean  and 
going  into  port  on  the  "  peaceful  tide  "  himself. 
Indeed  from  all  that  I  see  of  the  young  officer 
that  helps  to  occupy  this  room  of  canvas,  such 
an  event  is  not  at  all  unlikely  to  happen  very 


86  Letters,  1853-1868 

soon  after  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  ser 
vice,  or  the  ratification  of  a  treaty  of  peace  with 
the  so-called  confederates.  With  a  pardonable 
deception  he  appears  to  be  still  carrying  on  the 
siege  of  Troy — but  I  really  believe  he  is  inside 
the  wooden  horse  and  within  the  gates. 

It  will  take  us  between  two  and  three  weeks  to 
reach  Atlanta  —  marching  steadily,  but  we  look 
forward  to  the  prospect  of  this  march  with  great 
pleasure.  No  doubt  some  of  our  recruits  will 
wish  that  the  "  Gate  city "  was  moved  several 
degrees  northward  before  we  get  there.  Our 
army  is  within  4  miles  of  the  city,  but  it  may  be 
some  time  before  they  enter  it.  It's  defender 
Hood,  will  fight  always.  He  is  the  "  fighting 
Joe "  of  the  Rebel  army. 

I  hope  Penna.  has  decided  by  the  recent  vote 
to  allow  soldiers  in  the  field  the  right  of  suffrage. 
What  does  this  reported  movement  among  the 
Republicans  in  favor  of  giving  McClellan  a  com 
mand  mean  ?  Better  not ! 

Write  to  me  care  of  Gen.  Thomas'  Hdqrs.  near 
Atlanta — and  be  sure  to  give  my  kindest  regards 
to  your  Lady  Love  and  to  all  friends. 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  87 


St.  Louis,  April  19,  1867. 

MY  DEAR  ISAAC  : 

I  received  your  kind  letter  but  ever  since 
have  been  such  a  wanderer  that  I  have  found 
no  fitting  opportunity  to  answer  it. 

I  have  been  thinking  a  great  deal  over  the 
subject  which  the  Committee  of  Friends  have 
written  to  me  about,  and  intend  as  soon  as  I 
can  sit  down  calmly  and  reply  to  their  communi 
cation  to  do  so.  I  have  every  desire  to  retain 
my  connection  with  the  Society,  and  hope  they 
will  look  upon  my  case  in  that  liberal  and  chari 
table  spirit  which  I  think  distinguishes  them 
from  most  other  sects  and  which  is  one  of  the 
strongest  incentives  in  my  mind  towards  remain 
ing  a  member  of  the  Society. 

I  think  my  views  on  the  subject  of  Peace 
can  hardly  differ  in  essential  points,  from  those 
of  our  Meeting,  or  at  least  of  a  majority  of  the 
members  as  I  have  incidentally  learned  them 
through  their  conversation  and  actions  during 
and  since  the  War.  Of  course  under  the  same 
circumstances  as  existed  in  the  Summer  of  '61  I 
would  act  precisely  as  I  did  then,  and  I  do  not 


Letters,  1853-1868 


understand  that  Friends  desire  me  to  think  or 
say  otherwise  —  as  they  would  be  the  last  to 
believe  that  principle  should  be  compromised 
for  the  sake  of  avoiding  troubles.  They  might 
say  however  that  they  would  not  sacrifice  one 
principle  for  the  sake  of  another  —  but  in  regard 
to  this  it  seems  to  me  that  one  of  the  most 
essential  principles  of  Friends  is  obedience  to 
conscience  —  much  more  essential  than  a  belief 
in  non-resistance. 

I  do  not  ask  more  than  that  my  case  should 
be  treated  in  that  light.  I  think  that  Peace  is 
holy  and  should  be  encouraged  constantly — and 
that  an  unjust  War  is  only  legalized  murder. 
But  the  inner  light  made  it  very  plain  to  me  in 
the  Summer  of  '61  that  I  should  enter  the  army. 

With  kind  regards  to  Mrs.  Clothier  and  all 
the  members  of  your  family,  I  remain 

Yours, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Willard's,  Washington,  D.  C.,  July  6/68. 
MY  DEAR  ISAAC  : 

I  was  very  glad  to  get  your  interesting  letter  of 
the  22nd  ult.  and  to  be  informed  of  the  important 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  89 


change  in  your  business  prospects.  I  prophesy 
for  you  the  same  success  on  a  large  scale  that  you 
have  met  in  a  more  limited  range  hitherto. 

I  will  call  and  see  you  when  I  pass  through 
Philada.  on  my  way  to  St.  Louis.  I  do  not  think 
I  shall  be  detained  here  more  than  two  weeks 
longer  —  possibly  not  so  long.  The  only  hope  I 
have  left  is  of  getting  additional  aid  for  about  76 
miles  to  a  proper  point  of  divergence  for  New 
Mexican  and  Denver  trade.  This  point  is  called 
Cheyenne  Wells  —  and  there  is  abundant  water 
there.  Congress  will  not  give  us  through  aid  at 
this  session  because  of  political  timidity.  Our 
Radical  Senators  and  Representatives  would  be 
willing  to  jeopardize  the  most  important  practical 
interests  of  the  Country,  rather  than  run  the 
slightest  shadow  of  risk  to  their  political  schemes. 
Being  selfish,  they  are  consequently  narrow  and 
do  not  know  that  these  measures  are  more  popu 
lar  than  anything  else  with  the  people. 

I  think  you  would  enjoy  a  trip  to  the  end  of 
our  track — and  hope  I  may  be  going  up  to  Kansas 
when  you  come  out — altho  there  is  no  certainty 
about  that.  Some  of  our  friends  may  be  going 
however.  If  you  reach  St.  Louis  before  I  get 
there,  say  to  Col.  Lamborn  that  I  wish  him  to 
pass  you  to  Ft.  Wallace  and  return — that  is  about 


90  Letters,  1853-1868 

700  miles  west  of  St.  Louis,  and  a  little  beyond 
the  end  of  our  track. 

I  think  you  would  find  the  "  Great  Plains " 
interesting  —  altho  monotonous  after  continuous 
acquaintance. 

You  shall  be  admitted  into  any  future  contract, 
if  you  desire.  It  will  be  necessary  for  our  Road 
to  reach  the  base  of  the  Rocky  Mtn's  before  it 
will  be  very  profitable  or  have  a  flourishing  traffic. 
The  business  this  year  has  not  I  believe  been 
proportionately  so  large  as  last.  If  we  had 
reached  the  mtns. — we  should  have  had  an  im 
mense  amount  of  coal  and  timber  to  carry — 
besides  supplies  for  the  gold  and  silver  mines. 
The  weather  is  quite  exhausting  here  and  I  long 
to  be  once  more  in  the  Rocky  Mtns.  I  often 
find  myself  doubting  that  a  kind  Providence  ever 
intended  man  to  dwell  on  the  Atlantic  slope. 

Please  give  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Clothier. 

Yrs.  truly, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  91 


[The  two  following  papers  relating  to  the  organization  of  the  Anderson 
Troop,  which  afterward  became  the  noted  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
are  copied  from  the  originals  in  General  Palmer's  own  hand-writing,  in  my 
sion.] 


PLAN. 

"  THE  ANDERSON  TROOP/' 

A  picked  body  of  light  cavalry  from  Penna.— 
composed  of  young  men  of  respectability,  selected 
from  nearly  every  County  of  the  State. 

The  men  to  be  light,  active  and  hardy  and 
more  or  less  acquainted  with  horses  —  and  to  be 
chosen  for  these  qualities,  and  for  their  intelli 
gence,  good  character  and  patriotic  spirit. 

Each  man  to  pledge  himself  not  to  touch 
intoxicating  liquor  (except  for  medical  purposes) 
during  the  term  of  enlistment. 

Particular  attention  to  be  paid  to  drill^  the 
ambition  of  each  member  of  the  Company  being 
to  make  it  as  soon  as  possible,  a  model  light 
Troop,  as  the  "  Chicago  Zouaves  "  were  a  model 
light  infantry  Co.  It  is  believed  that  this  may 
be  accomplished  in  a  comparatively  short  time, 
with  good  instructors,  from  the  superior  intelli 
gence  and  enthusiasm  of  the  men. 


92  Letters,  1853-1868 

The  special  duty  of  the  Troop  (in  addition  to 
service  on  the  field  of  battle)  will  be  to  perform 
detachment  service  of  all  kinds  in  Brig.  Genl. 
Anderson's  Department  —  to  serve  as  escort  or 
Body  Guard  to  the  General  when  desired  —  make 
reconnoissances  —  escort  trains  and  convoys  — 
make  arrests  —  seize  Railroads  &c.  —  perform 
advanced-post  or  patrol  duty  ;  and  generally,  to 
be  attached  to  the  General  for  the  performance 
of  any  special  service  required  by  him  involving 
delicacy  or  danger. 

If  desired,  a  squad  of  men  from  the  Railroads 
of  Penna.  with  telegraph  operators,  &c.  will  be 
included  in  the  Company  to  expedite  the  trans 
portation  of  troops  and  supplies,  and  repair 
and  operate  Railroads  that  it  may  be  necessary 
to  seize  or  control  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
campaign  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 

The  advantages  of  such  a  corps  for  the  various 
duties  above  specified,  would  be  unusual  intelli 
gence,  trustworthiness  on  duty,  nervous  energy 
and  courage,  and  patriotic  spirit.  While  the 
members  would  be  gentlemen,  they  would  be 
of  the  kind  who  would  feel  proud  to  submit  to 
the  strictest  military  discipline,  hard  drill,  and 
any  hardships  uncomplainingly  for  the  sake  of 
their  country.  They  will  go  determined  to  take 


'  I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  93 


everything  roughly,  and  nothing  like  dandyism 
or  dissipation  will  be  tolerated. 

Arms  —  to  be  a  light  sabre,  Colt's  Revolver 
worn  on  the  person,  and  (in  consequence  of  the 
detached  character  of  the  service)  a  rifled  carbine 
slung  to  the  shoulder. 

Accoutrements  so  arranged  that  sabre  can  be 
hung  to  saddle,  when  Trooper  dismounts  to 
serve  on  foot. 

The  horses  to  be  got  in  Central  Kentucky  and 
to  be  light,  active  and  hardy. 

The  command  to  be  given  to  such  person  (of 
cavalry  experience  if  possible)  as  General  Ander 
son  may  select.  The  remaining  officers  and  non 
commissioned  officers  to  be  elected  by  the  Co. 
after  it  shall  have  been  filled  up. 

Respectfully  Submitted 

WM.  J.  PALMER, 

of  Philada. 


Approved    by   Brig.   Gen'l.   Anderson    at   Louisville, 
Sep.   20/61. 


94  Letters,  1853-1868 


OFFICE 
PENNSYLVANIA  RAIL  ROAD  COMPANY, 

Philadelphia,  Sept.  24th,  1861. 
DEAR  SIR  : 

I  take  the  liberty  of  enclosing  to  you  herewith 
a  plan  for  the  organization  of  a  picked  Company 
of  light  Cavalry  composed  of  Pennsylvanians, 
which  Brig.  Gen'l.  Anderson  has  requested  the 
War  Department  to  accept  as  an  independent 
Corps  for  special  service  in  the  "  Department  of 
the  Cumberland."  The  Company  will  be  called 
the  "  Anderson  Troop,"  and  will  be  under  the 
immediate  eye  of  the  General  Commanding — its 
special  duties  being  those  of  a  Body  Guard  to 
General  Anderson,  to  make  reconnoisances,  escort 
trains,  make  arrests,  and  perform  such  other  ser 
vice  of  a  detached  character  as  he  may  assign  it. 

In  the  letter  which  he  has  furnished  me  to  the 
War  Department,  the  General  says  "  I  particu 
larly  desire  the  acceptance  of  this  Company,  and 
I  will  be  obliged  if  the  Department  will  give 
such  facilities  to  Mr.  Palmer  as  will  enable  him 
to  perfect  its  organization  in  the  shortest  possible 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  95 


time.  Such  a  Corps  will  be  almost  indispensable 
to  me  in  conducting  the  Campaign  which  is 
already  opened  in  my  Department." 

After  this  earnest  statement  of  his  wants,  it  is 
not  doubted  that  the  Department  will  unhesitat 
ingly  accept  the  Company.  I  shall  proceed  im 
mediately  to  Washington  to  secure  this  result, 
and  to  procure  the  requisite  orders  for  the  mount 
ing,  arriving,  and  equipping  of  the  men,  but  not 
to  lose  any  time  I  have  addressed  this  note  to 
you  as  a  gentleman  of  influence,  and  one  well 
acquainted  in  your  section  of  the  State,  to  ask  that 
you  will  aid  me  in  making  this  Corps,  one  that 
will  fairly  represent  the  intelligence,  respectability, 
and  patriotic  spirit  of  the  young  men  from  Penna. 
The  honor  and  fair  name  of  the  State  will  be  in 
its  keeping  in  the  campaign  in  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee — it  is  therefore  desired  that  its  ranks 
should  be  filled  with  the  very  best  of  our  youth, 
taking  physical  as  well  as  moral  considerations 
into  view.  The  troop  will  be  commanded  by  an 
officer  to  be  appointed  by  Gen'l.  Anderson — the 
Lieutenants  and  non-commissioned  officers  to  be 
elected  by  a  fair  vote  of  the  Compny,  after  it 
shall  have  been  formed.  It  will  be  as  much  a 
matter  of  pride  however  to  be  a  private  as  an 
officer  in  this  Troop  —  and  no  member  will  be 


96  Letters,  1853-1868 

bound  by  his  acceptance,  unless  he  chooses,  until 
after  he  has  seen  his  comrades,  and  been  mustered 
into  service. 

As  soon  as  85  men  have  been  accepted,  they 
will  be  sent  to  Louisville,  Ky. — the  remainder  of 
the  Troop  to  be  selected  from  the  counties  of  the 
State  which  may  not  at  first  have  responded,  and 
for  which  more  time  will  be  admissible. 

It  is  not  expected  however  that  more  than  a 
week  or  ten  days  will  be  required  for  the  enlist 
ment  of  1 10  men  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  of 
the  character  referred  to — in  response  to  this  call 
and  most  flattering  compliment  from  the  gallant 
Hero  of  Fort  Sumter.  And  let  Penna.  shew  by 
this  little  contribution,  if  in  no  other  way,  her 
appreciation  of  and  desire  to  repay  the  debt  which 
the  West  has  put  us  under  by  the  recent  detach 
ment  of  several  regiments  from  Fremont's  com 
mand  to  reinforce  the  army  of  the  Eastern  Coast. 

I  have  therefore  to  request  that  you  will  nomi 
nate  for  the  county  in  which  you  reside,  and  for 
each  of  the  adjacent  counties,  five  young  men,  or 
any  less  number,  aged  between  1 8  and  30  years 
(the  younger  the  better)  who  may  in  your  opinion 
answer  the  description  given  above  and  in  the 
enclosed  plan  ;  and  who  may  be  willing  to  go 
from  a  patriotic  motive  solely,  and  with  a 


'  I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  97 


determination  to  submit  to  the  strictest  drill 
and  military  discipline,  and  to  endure  any  hard 
ships  for  their  Country's  sake. 

The  men  to  be  light,  active,  and  hardy  —  and 
more  or  less  accustomed  to  riding  —  and  the  names 
to  be  mentioned  on  your  list  (with  their  addresses) 
in  the  order  of  your  preference,  so  that  in  case  all  the 
counties  respond,  the  best  may  be  taken  from  each. 

I  will  personally  see,  or  address  a  note  similar 
to  this,  to  influential  and  well-known  gentlemen 
in  nearly  every  section  of  the  State,  and  make  no 
doubt  but  that  they  and  you  will  heartily  co 
operate  in  this  endeavor  to  furnish  Gen'l.  Ander 
son  a  mounted  Body  Guard  from  Penna.  worthy 
of  him  and  of  the  State. 

Please  let  me  hear  from  you  with  as  little  delay 
as  practicable,  at  the  office  of  the  President  of  the 
Penna.  R.  Rd.  Co.,  Philada. 

Yours  Respectfully, 

WM.  J.  PALMER. 

P.  S.  In  order  to  comply  with  the  existing 
legal  form,  the  Troop  if  accepted,  will  be  com 
missioned  by  the  authorities  of  the  State  of  Penna. 
in  obedience  to  a  requisition  made  upon  them  by 
the  War  Department  for  such  a  company. 

I 


98  Letters,  1853-1868 


RITTENHOUSE  MANSION. 

DAVID  RITTENHOUSE,  the  celebrat 
ed  astronomer,  who  had  lived  at  Nor- 
riton,  came  to  Philadelphia,  in  1770. 
He  was  appointed  Treasurer  of  Pennsylvania,  in 
1777,  and  held  the  office  till  1789.  He  was 
appointed  Director  of  the  United  States  Mint  in 
1792.  In  1787  was  finished  upon  the  lot  upon 
which  he  had  erected  his  observatory,  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  Seventh  and  Arch  Streets, 
the  substantial  house  shown  in  our  view.  He 
removed  there  from  his  previous  residence  at 
the  southeast  corner  of  these  streets.  He  died 
June  26,  1796,  and  was  buried  near  his  observa 
tory.  The  tomb  was  afterward  removed  to  the 
Old  Pine  Street  burying-ground.  His  daughters 
continued  to  reside  in  this  house  and  that  adjoin 
ing,  and  here  in  1 809  the  United  States  and  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania  nearly  came  into  armed 
collision.  Rittenhouse,  while  State  Treasurer, 
became  the  custodian  of  a  fund  in  a  prize-money 
case  which  was  claimed  by  the  State  of  Pennsyl 
vania  and  by  the  United  States.  The  latter 


s^S 

0681  — JI3MJA?  J'H3O  1O  :iMOH 


9H  Letters,   1853-1868 


KITTEN  HO  USE  MANSION. 

DAVID  RITTKNHOUSE,  the  celebrat 
ed  astronomer,  who  had  lived   at   Nor- 
rir.on,    came    to    Philadelphia,    in    1770. 
He  was  appointed  Treasurer  of   Pennsylvania,  in 
7i   and    held    the   office   till    1789.     He   was 
appointed  l.)ire<         of  \    p  I'm  red  States  Mint  in 
'79 2.  rne  lor  upon 

HOME  OF  GEN'L  PALMER  — 1856 


•nth  and  Arch  Streets, 
the  substantial  house  shown  in  our  view.  He 
removed  there  from  his  previous  residence  at 
the  southeast  corner  of  these  streets.  He  died 
June  26,  1796,  and  was  buried  near  his  observa 
tory.  The  tomb  was  afterward  removed  to  the 
Old  Pine  Street  burying-ground.  His  daughters 
continued  to  reside  in  this  house  and  that  adjoin 
ing,  and  here  in  1809  the  United  States  and  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania  nearly  came  into  armed 
collision.  Rittenhouse,  while  State  Treasurer, 
became  the  custodian  of  a  fund  in  a  prize-monev 
case  which  was  claimed  by  the  State  of  Pennsyl 
vania  and  by  the  United  States.  The  latter 


GenU  Wm.  J.  Palmer  99 

obtained  judgment,  and  called  on  Rittenhouse's 
executors,  his  daughters,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Sergeant 
and  Mrs.  Esther  Waters,  for  payment.  The 
State  ordered  them  not  to  pay,  and  to  prevent 
service  of  the  writ  upon  them,  armed  State  troops 
were  posted  around  this  house  from  March  2jrd 
to  April  1 8th,  when  John  Smith,  the  United 
States  Marshal,  obtained  access  to  the  premises 
by  stratagem  and  made  service  of  his  writ.  There 
was  considerable  legal  trouble  over  it  afterwards. 
From  the  circumstances  the  house  afterward 
obtained  the  nickname,  still  known  to  old  Phila- 
delphians,  of  "  Fort  Rittenhouse." 


This  historic  old  house  was  the  home  of 
William  J.  Palmer  for  a  few  years,  about  1856, 
and  here  he  and  Isaac  H.  Clothier  roomed 
together  for  some  time  prior  to  the  writing 
of  the  1859  letters. 


ioo  Letters,  1853-1868 


THE  GLEN  EYRIE  HOME  OF  1905. 

THE  picture  of  General  Palmer's  home 
in  Colorado  is  necessarily  imperfect  on 
the  small  scale  which  the  pages  of  this 
book  permit.  It  is  reproduced  from  a  photo 
graph  taken  last  summer. 

The  house  was  originally  built  in  1871,  but 
rebuilt  in  solid  masonry  on  precisely  the  same 
architectural  lines,  during  the  past  two  years, 
with  the  addition  of  Book  Hall,  a  large  library 
building. 

The  house,  itself,  is  most  attractive  as  an  ideal 
American  home  on  a  broad  scale,  but  the  site  on 
which  it  stands,  and  the  immediate  surroundings, 
are  of  the  most  interesting  and  unique  character. 

Glen  Eyrie  is  equi-distant — five  miles — from 
both  Colorado  Springs  and  Manitou,  the  latter  at 
the  very  base  of  Pikes  Peak,  where  the  road  up 
the  mountain  starts.  This  grand  natural  park  was 
almost  unknown  until  visited  by  General  Palmer 
in  1870,  before  the  founding  of  Colorado  Springs. 
He  was  charmed  with  the  beauty  of  the  spot,  and 
took  prompt  measures,  under  the  Homestead  Act, 


cOGl  — 3MOH  315 Y 3  H3JO  HHT 


Letters,  1853-1868 


THE  GLEN  EYRIE  HOME  OF  1905. 

^pitt'ire  of  General    Palmer's   home 

•ssarily  imperfect   on 

i  h   the  pages  of  this 

Prom   a  photo 

tnginafly    r»um    m    1871,  but 
nasonry   on    precisely   the   same 

THE  GLEN  EYRIE  HOME  — 1905 

fall,  a  large  library 


use,  itself,  is  most  attractive  as  an  ideal 
iome  on  a  broad  scale,  but  the  site  on 
it  stands,  and  the  immediate  surroundings, 
are  of  the  most  interesting  and  unique  character. 

Glen    Eyrie  is   equi-distant — five  miles from 

l>oth  Colorado  Springs  and  Manitou,  the  latter  at 
:  very  base  of  Pikes  Peak,  where  the  road  up 
the  mountain  starts     This  grand  natural  park  v  ,., 
almost  unknown  until  visited  bv  Ger.c-r 
in  1870,  before  the  founding  of  (":>!.-• 
Fie  was  charmed  with  the  beauty  of  the  s 
took  prompt  measures,  under  the  Homest 


1 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Paltoer  '•  i  jaji- 

to  occupy  and  become  the  owner  of  160  acres, 
where  the  house  now  stands.  The  Garden  of 
the  Gods,  immediately  adjoining,  was  afterwards 
similarly  occupied  under  the  Homestead  Law. 
By  purchase  of  tracts  adjoining  Glen  Eyrie,  from 
time  to  time  since,  he  has  acquired  a  large  area 
of  mountain  and  park  lands  among  the  foot-hills 
of  the  "  Rockies,"  perhaps  approximating  3000 
acres  in  the  aggregate. 

Glen  Eyrie  proper  is  a  valley,  but  the  grand 
Rocky  Mountain  Chain,  with  Pikes  Peak  domi 
nating  all,  is  in  full  view  from  various  parts  of 
the  estate.  The  scenery  throughout  the  property, 
and  immediately  about  the  house,  within  easy 
walking  distance,  is  of  a  varied  grandeur  not  to 
be  described.  Queen's  Canon,  beginning  a  few 
hundred  feet  away,  affords  a  walk  of  some  miles 
through  striking  and  impressive  scenery,  remind 
ing  one  of  the  world-renowned  Grand  Canon 
of  Colorado,  or  that  of  Yellowstone  Park  on  a 
smaller  and  more  accessible  scale.  Driving  roads, 
well-constructed  paths,  and  mountain  trails  have 
for  a  number  of  years  been  gradually  laid  out,  so 
that  to-day  they  aggregate  perhaps  twenty  miles 
in  extent  on  General  Palmer's  estate  alone.  The 
public  are  admitted  and  freely  welcomed  to  the' 
driving  roads  on  the  estate,  excepting  perhaps  a 


1 02  Letters,  1853-1868 

hundred  acres  immediately  about  the  house;  and 
during  the  tourist  season  long  lines  of  carriages 
drive  through  and  about  the  roads,  affording 
at  points  excellent  views  of  the  buildings  and 
private  grounds. 

On  the  whole,  the  Glen  Eyrie  home  is  alto 
gether  unique,  so  far  as  my  experience  and 
knowledge  go.  There  are  undoubtedly  more 
costly  and  pretentious  houses,  but  the  combina 
tion  of  such  a  house  with  such  surroundings  in 
the  midst  of  scenery  unexcelled  in  the  Western 
Hemisphere,  causes  it — I  believe — to  stand  alone 
among  American  homes. 


I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  103 


IT  is  deemed  appropriate  to  insert  the  fol 
lowing  poem  as  a  great  favorite  of  both 
'General  Palmer  and  myself,  concerning  the 
great  President  in  whom  as  young  men  we  both 
thoroughly  believed  during  the  stress  of  the  Civil 
War,  and  who  soon  afterward  came  to  be  re 
garded  in  the  South  as  in  the  North  the  Father 
of  the  Nation. 

Those  whose  memories  reach  back  far  enough 
can  recall  how  during  his  four  years  of  labor  and 
sacrifice  he  was  mercilessly  reviled  and  caricatured 
with  pencil  and  pen  by  the  English  "  Punch," 
followed  soon  after  his  career  was  tragically  closed 
by  this  magnificent  recantation  made  in  one  of 
the  greatest  poems  of  the  times. 

One  reason  for  its  insertion  is  that  it  appears 
to  be  not  generally  familiar  to  the  community 
and  is  not  included  in  usual  collections  of  verse, 
perhaps  because  of  its  impersonal  and  unknown 
authorship. 

I  would  add  that  whenever  I  look  at  the  face 
of  Lincoln,  with  its  expression  of  profound 
thought  and  unspeakable  sorrow,  an  old  couplet 
of  the  war  time  almost  always  comes  into  my 
mind — 

"  We  are  coming  Father  Abraham 
Three  Hundred  Thousand  more." 


104  Letters,  1853-1868 


ABRAHAM    LINCOLN. 

Assassinated  April  I^-th,  1865. 

From   "Punch." 

You  lay  a  wreath  on  murder'd  Lincoln's  bier, 
You,  who  with  mocking  pencil  wont  to  trace, 

Broad  for  the  self-complaisant  British  sneer, 

His  length  of  shambling  limb,  his  furrow'd  face, 

His  gaunt,  gnarl'd  hands,  his  unkempt,  bristling  hair, 
His  garb  uncouth,  his  bearing  ill  at  ease, 

His  lack  of  all  we  prize  as  debonair, 

Of  power  or  will  to  shine,  of  art  to  please ; 

Ton,  whose  smart  pen  back'd  up  the  pencil's  laugh, 
Judging  each  step  as  though  the  way  were  plain  ;. 

Reckless, —  so  it  could  point  its  paragraph,— 
Of  chief's  perplexity,  or  people's  pain, — 

Beside  this  corpse,  that  bears  for  winding-sheet 
The  Stars  and  Stripes  he  liv'd  to  rear  anew, 

Between  the  mourners  at  his  head  and  feet, 
Say,  scurrile  jester,  is  there  room  for  you  ? 


Gen'1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  105 


Yes  :   he  had  liv'd  to  shame  me  from  my  sneer, 
To  lame  my  pencil  and  confute  my  pen  ; 

To  make  me  own  this  hind  of  princes  peer, 
This  rail-splitter  a  true-born  king  of  men. 

My  shallow  judgment  I  had  learn'd  to  rue, 
Noting  how  to  occasion's  height  he  rose ; 

How  his  quaint  wit  made  home-truth  seem  more  true  ; 
How,  iron-like,  his  temper  grew  by  blows ; 

How  humble,  yet  how  hopeful  he  could  be ; 

How  in  good  fortune  and  in  ill  the  same ; 
Nor  bitter  in  success,  nor  boastful  he, 

Thirsty  for  gold,  nor  feverish  for  fame. 

He  went  about  his  work, — such  work  as  few 
Ever  had  laid  on  head  and  heart  and  hand, — 

As  one  who  knows,  where  there's  a  task  to  do, 

Man's  honest  will  must  Heaven's  good  grace  command ; 

Who  trusts  the  strength  will  with  the  burden  grow, 
That  God  makes  instruments  to  work  His  will, 

If  but  that  will  we  can  arrive  to  know, 

Nor  tamper  with  the  weights  of  good  and  ill. 

So  he  went  forth  to  battle,  on  the  side 

That  he  felt  clear  was  Liberty's  and  Right's, 

As  in  his  peasant  boyhood  he  had  plied 

His  warfare  with  rude  Nature's  thwarting  mights, — 


io6  Letters,  1853-1868 

The  unclear'd  forest,  the  unbroken  soil, 

The  iron  bark  that  turns  the  lumberer's  axe, 

The  rapid  that  o'erbears  the  boatman's  toil, 

The  prairie  hiding  the  maz'd  wanderer's  tracks, 

The  ambush'd  Indian,  and  the  prowling  bear, — 

Such  were  the  deeds  that  help'd  his  youth  to  train  : 

Rough  culture,  but  such  trees  large  fruit  may  bear, 
If  but  their  stocks  be  of  right  girth  and  grain. 

So  he  grew  up,  a  destin'd  work  to  do, 

And  liv'd  to  do  it ;   four  long-suffering  years, 

111  fate,  ill  feeling,  ill  report  liv'd  through, 

And  then  he  heard  the  hisses  changed  to  cheers, 

The  taunts  to  tribute,  the  abuse  to  praise, 

And  took  both  with  the  same  unwavering  mood, — 

Till,  as  he  came  on  light  from  darkling  days, 

And  seem'd  to  touch  the  goal  from  where  he  stood, 

A  felon  hand,  between  the  goal  and  him, 

Reach'd  from  behind  his  back,  a  trigger  prest, 

And  those  perplex'd  and  patient  eyes  were  dim, 

Those  gaunt,  long-laboring  limbs  were  laid  to  rest. 

The  words  of  mercy  were  upon  his  lips, 
Forgiveness  in  his  heart  and  on  his  pen, 

When  this  vile  murderer  brought  swift  eclipse 

To  thoughts  of  peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men. 


Gen'1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  107 

The  Old  World  and  the  New,  from  sea  to  sea, 
Utter  one  voice  of  sympathy  and  shame. 

Sore  heart,  so  stopp'd  when  it  at  last  beat  high  ! 
Sad  life,  cut  short  just  as  its  triumph  came ! 

A  deed  accurs'd  !     Strokes  have  been  struck  before 
By  the  assassin's  hand,  whereof  men  doubt 

If  more  of  horror  or  disgrace  they  bore ; 

But  thy  foul  crime,  like  Cain's,  stands  darkly  out. 

Vile  hand,  that  brandest  murder  on  a  strife, 

Whate'er  its  grounds,  stoutly  and  nobly  striven, 

And  with  the  martyr's  crown  crownest  a  life 
With  much  to  praise,  little  to  be  forgiven. 


io8  Letters,  1853-1868 


AS  this  volume  is  partly  historical,  I   con 
clude    to    add    a    little    campaign    song 
written    for    a    Republican    meeting    in 
Newburyport,    Mass.,    October     11,    1860,  just 
after  the   Pennsylvania  State  election  then    held 
a  month  before  the  presidential  election. 

THE  QUAKERS  ARE  OUT  ! 

By  JOHN  G.  WHITTIER. 

Not  vainly  we  waited  and  counted  the  hours, 
The  buds  of  our  hope  have  all  burst  into  flowers  ; 
No  room  for  misgiving — no  loophole  of  doubt  — 
We've  heard  from  the  Keystone!  the  Quakers  are  out! 

The  plot  has  exploded — we've  found  out  the  trick; 
The  bribe  goes  a-begging ;   the  fusion  won't  stick. 
When  the  Wide  Awake  lanterns  are  shining  about, 
The  rogues  stay  at  home,  and  the  true  men  are  out. 

The  good  State  has  broken  the  cords  for  her  spun  ; 
Her  oil-springs  and  water  won't  fuse  into  one. 
The  Dutchman  has  seasoned  with  Freedom  his  krout, 
And  slow,  late,  but  certain,  the  Quakers  are  out  ! 

Give  the  flags  to  the  winds,  set  the  hills  all  aflame  ! 
Make  way  for  the  man  with  the  Patriarch's  name  ! 
Away  with  misgiving  —  away  with  all  doubt — 
For  Lincoln  goes  in,  when  the  Quakers  are  out ! 


Gen'1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  109 

In  explanation  to  the  young  people  of  the 
allusion  to  the  Wide  Awake  lanterns,  I  would  say 
that  in  the  Presidential  campaign  of  1860,  many 
thousands  of  young  Republicans  all  over  the 
North  formed  associations  under  the  general 
name  of  "  Wide  Awakes,"  and  wearing  oil  cloth 
caps  and  capes,  and  carrying  torches,  marched  in 
military  array  to  the  political  meetings  of  the 
times.  These  clubs  were  a  unique  feature  of  the 
campaign,  and  helped  infuse  a  spirit  into  the 
Republican  movement  which  perhaps  contributed 
largely  to  its  success.  Many  a  night  during  that 
exciting  autumn  General  Palmer  and  I  marched 
in  uniform  with  the  local  Philadelphia  body — the 
Republican  Invincibles  —  to  meetings  held  in 
Philadelphia  and  different  points  within  fifty 
miles  of  the  city,  where  we  went  by  train,  reach 
ing  home  oftentimes  in  the  early  morning.  I 
distinctly  recall  the  night  of  the  Pennsylvania 
State  election  of  1860,  when  the  returns  showed 
unmistakably  the  success  of  the  Republican  party, 
and  presaged  the  sure  election  of  Lincoln  in 
November,  how  with  the  Republican  Invincibles 
I  marched  up  Chestnut  Street  after  midnight,  and 
the  street  scenes  of  delirious  joy  can  never  be 
forgotten.  I  remember  as  we  passed  the  Conti 
nental  Hotel,  that  the  then  Prince  of  Wales,  now 


i  i  o  Letters,  1853  - 1868 

King  Edward  VII.,  a  pale,  slender  youth,  stood 
at  the  window  watching  the  wild  street  scenes,  and 
I  saw  him  with  the  utmost  distinctness. 

Those  uniformed  and  marching  companies  were 
the  precursors  of  the  regiments,  which,  carrying 
the  musket  and  bayonet  instead  of  the  torch, 
sprung  into  being  six  months  later  at  Lincoln's 
call,  and  were  the  advance  guard  of  the  vast 
armies  which  stood  for  liberty  and  union,  and 
through  untold  loss  and  sacrifice,  purged  the 
nation  of  slavery,  and  paved  the  way  for  a 
national  future,  the  grand  possibilities  of  which 
we,  cannot  even  yet  forecast. 

All  this  reminds  me  of  the  only  times  I  ever 
saw  Lincoln — on  the  afternoon  of  his  arrival  in 
Philadelphia  on  his  way  to  inauguration,  and  the 
next  forenoon  when  I  was  one  of  a  company 
which  stood  at  the  Ninth  Street  door  of  the 
Continental  Hotel,  and  saw  him  enter  his  carriage, 
and  then,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  with  one  of  the 
reserve  policemen,  a  cordon  of  which  surrounded 
the  carriage,  I  walked  precisely  opposite  him  and 
within  six  feet  of  where  he  sat,  listening  to  his 
occasional  conversation,  down  Chestnut  Street  to 
Sixth,  where  the  pressure  of  the  crowd  caused  me 
to  lose  my  place. 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  I  i  i 

The  party  alighted  on  Sixth  Street  below 
Chestnut,  and  proceeded  through  Independence 
Square  to  a  platform  erected  in  front  of  the  State 
House,  and  from  a  little  distance,  although  I 
could  not  hear  what  he  said,  I  saw  him  address 
the  great  crowd  and  watched  every  gesture  with 
the  utmost  interest,  and  afterwards  saw  every 
movement  of  his  as  he  raised  the  flag  to  the  top 
of  Independence  Hall.  Later  he  departed  for 
Harrisburg  on  that  day  which  soon  became 
historic. 

I  have  often  remembered  since  that  he  had  on 
his  mind  that  morning  the  information  which 
came  to  him  the  night  before,  of  his  sure  assassi 
nation  if  he  passed  through  Baltimore  the  next 
day.  I  do  not  think  I  ever  saw  him  again  in 
life,  but  four  years  and  one  month  later,  I  saw  his 
great  funeral  procession  pass  down  Arch  Street, 
and  that  night  preceding  the  day  when  his  body 
lay  in  state  in  Independence  Hall,  I  was  privi 
leged  to  have  a  somewhat  deliberate  view  soon 
after  the  coffin  was  opened. 


H2  Letters,  1853-1868 


LINES  SENT  BY  A  NASHVILLE  (TENN.)  LADY, 

TO  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN,  THE  SECOND 

YEAR  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


These  lines  were  recited  to  General  Palmer  by  a  prisoner  of  Castle  Thunder, 
Richmond,  Va.,  and  by  him  recited  to  me  on  his  return,  and  put  into  writing 
recently  from  memory,  at  my  request.  I  have  never  forgotten  the  profound 
impression  they  made  on  me  at  the  time,  as  evidencing  the  spirit  and  deter 
mination  of  the  Southern  people,  and  their  sincere  devotion  to  their  cause. 
As  I  have  never  seen  them  in  print,  I  insert  them  here  as  another  memento 
of  the  war  times. 


You  can  never  win  them  back, 

Never !   Never  ! 
Though  they  perish  on  the  track 

Of  your  endeavor ; 
Though  their  corses  strew  the  earth 
Which  smiled  upon  their  birth, 
And  blood  pollutes  each  hearthstone 

Forever ! 

They  may  fall  before  the  fire  of  your  legions, 
Paid  with  gold — murders'  hire — 

Base  allegiance, 
But  for  every  drop  you  shed, 
You  will  leave  a  mound  of  dead, 
And  the  vultures  will  be  fed 

In  our  regions  ! 

The  battle  to  the  strong  is  not  given 

While  the  Judge  of  right  and  wrong  rules  in  Heaven, 

And  the  God  of  David  still 

Guides  the  pebbles 

With  His  will, 
There  are  Giants  yet  to  kill, 

Wrongs  unshriven  ! 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX. 

AS  some  of  the  letters  in  this  volume  refer 
to  a  course  of  lectures  of  which  General 
Palmer    and    myself   were    managers    in 
1859,  it  is  deemed  best  to  add  some  account  of 
those    lectures,    which    from    the    circumstances 
attendant  on  their  delivery  became  a  part  of  the 
history  of  the  city  and  of  the  times. 

The  subjoined  account  was  printed  in  the 
Public  Ledger  of  December  14,  1902,  written 
by  a  reporter  from  notes  made  in  an  inter 
view  sought  by  him  with  me,  and  without  any 
preparation  or  revision  on  my  part.  While 
it  is  therefore  naturally  somewhat  rambling  and 
imperfect  in  expression,  it  is  in  the  main  correct 
as  to  facts,  and  is  submitted  in  place  of  a  more 
carefully  prepared  account. 

I  would  add,  the  young  people  of  this  genera 
tion  can  form  little  or  no  idea  of  the  state  of  the 
public  mind  in  those  exciting  times,  or  of  the 
intensity  of  the  feeling  which  existed  just  before 
it  burst  into  the  flame  of  Civil  War. 

I.  H.  C. 


MR.  CLOTHIER'S  REMINISCENCES. 


From  the  Philadelphia  Ledger  of  December  14,  1902. 

EXTRACT  FROM  AN  ARTICLE  ENTITLED 

"PHILADELPHIA  IN  SLAVERY  DAYS." 


THE    most   exciting   episode   of   all    this    ante 
bellum   period    was    unquestionably  the   effort 
on   the    part  of  a   pro-slavery  mob   to  break 
up  a  meeting  at  which  George  William  Curtis  delivered 
his  powerful    address  on  the    burning   question   of    the 
hour.     The  person  most  active  in  bringing  Mr.  Curtis 
to  Philadelphia  on  this  occasion  was  Isaac  H.  Clothier, 


then  a  young  man  who  had  scarcely  reached  his  majority. 
Mr.  Clothier  was  recently  induced  by  the  writer, 
after  some  persuasion,  to  tell  the  story  of  this  remark 
able  episode  in  his  own  way,  which  is  modesty  itself. 
As  he  talked  Mr.  Clothier  grew  warm  with  the  generous 
enthusiasm  of  more  than  forty  years  ago,  and  the  mere 
words  themselves  convey  only  a  partial  idea  of  the 
interest  which  he  enkindled  in  his  listener  in  the  course 

("9) 


120  Letters,  1853-1868 

of  the  narrative.  He  was  seated  at  the  time  in  his 
study  at  Ballytore,  his  beautiful  chateau-residence  at 
Wynnewood. 

"  I  was  deeply  interested  in  the  important  questions 
of  that  time,"  said  Mr.  Clothier.  u  I  had  always  a 
particular  fondness  for  oratory.  The  great  speakers 
then  were  mostly  on  the  side  of  the  anti-slavery  move 
ment,  and  chief  among  them  were  Wendell  Phillips  and 
George  William  Curtis.  In  my  thirst  for  listening  to 
the  discussion  of  great  questions  I  used  to  attend 
lectures  and  meetings  of  all  kinds.  A  young  friend  of 
mine  and  myself  finally  concluded  that  we  would  have 
a  lecture  course  of  our  own  in  Philadelphia.  (This 
friend  was  William  J.  Palmer,  who  afterward  entered 
the  army  in  '61  as  Captain  of  the  Anderson  Troop,  a 
Company  organized  for  special  service  under  General 
Robert  Anderson,  and  which  afterward  became  the 
Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  Regiment.  He  has 
since  the  War  been  a  prominent  railroad  man,  President 
of  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  and  Rio  Grande  Western 
Railroads,  and  a  noted  figure  in  Colorado  life).  This 
was  in  the  summer  of  1859,  anc^  we  planned  to  have 
the  course  the  next  winter.  As  my  friend  was  the 
private  secretary  of  J.  Edgar  Thomson,  President  of 
the  Pennsylvania  R.  R.,  and  was  much  confined  to 
his  office,  the  executive  business  of  the  enterprise  was 
mostly  in  my  hands.  You  can  imagine  with  what  vim 
I,  as  an  enthusiastic  young  man,  entered  into  the  work. 
I  wrote  to  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Wendell  Phillips, 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  121 

^ 

George  William  Curtis  and  others.  I  took  journeys 
to  see  some  of  them.  Mr.  Curtis  I  visited  at  his 
residence  on  Staten  Island,  and  Mr.  Beecher  at  Peeks- 
kill.  We  found  that  George  William  Curtis  and 
Wendell  Phillips  were  the  only  speakers,  among  those 
whom  we  wanted,  that  we  could  engage.  Our  arrange 
ments  were  made  in  August ;  one  lecture  was  to  be 
delivered  by  Wendell  Phillips  in  November,  and  one  by 
George  William  Curtis  in  December.  There  was  then 
no  particular  anti -slavery  excitement  in  this  city,  and 
we  had  no  especial  object  in  view  in  connection  with 
that  movement.  But  between  that  and  the  date  of  the 
first  lecture  John  Brown's  raid  at  Harper's  Ferry  took 
place  in  October.  Instantly  the  whole  country  was 
aflame.  The  lecture  of  Mr.  Phillips  was  appointed  for 
the  28th  of  November  in  National  Hall,  on  Market 
Street,  between  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth  streets,  on  the 
south  side.  His  subject  was  Toussaint  L'Ouverture. 
We  had  no  reason  to  anticipate  any  particular  disorder 
until  a  little  before  the  time  for  the  lecture.  A  noto 
rious  Alderman,  McMullin  by  name,  came  to  the  hall 
with  a  crowd  of  roughs  prepared  to  break  up  the  meet 
ing  by  force.  But  Mr.  Phillips's  wonderful  eloquence 
overcame  them.  They  were  charmed  with  it,  and  sat 
as  if  spellbound  until  the  end.  Not  a  hostile  word  or 
sound  did  they  utter,  and  the  affair  was  most  successful. 

MOB    VIOLENCE    THREATENED. 

t 

"  The  next    occasion,  however,  was  very  different. 
The  date  of  George  William  Curtis's  address  was  two 


122  Letters,  1853-1868 

weeks  and  a  half  later,  the  I5th  of  December,  1859, 
or  a  little  less  than  forty-three  years  ago.  John  Brown 
had  been  hanged  on  the  2d  of  December,  and  the 
Abolitionists  had  held  what  I  have  always  thought  was 
a  most  unwise  meeting  at  National  Hall,  at  noon  of 
that  day.  It  was  a  very  lively  meeting,  and  came  near 
being  broken  up.  The  lecture  by  George  William 
Curtis  was  on  l  The  Present  Aspect  of  the  Slavery 
Question.'  It  was  powerful,  but  there  was  nothing 
fiery  about  it ;  and  the  subject  and  date,  you  must 
remember,  had  been  fixed  in  the  previous  August. 
When  the  time  arrived  the  whole  city  was  in  a  turmoil. 
We  tried  to  get  two  men  of  some  prominence  to  intro 
duce  Mr.  Curtis  to  the  audience,  but  they  refused. 
Judge  William  D.  Kelley,  however,  accepted  the 
proposal  with  alacrity.  He  was  perfectly  fearless,  and 
he  enjoyed  doing  things  that  were  a  brave  vindication 
of  principle. 

"That  day,  the  I5th  of  December,  was  one  of  the 
most  exciting  I  have  ever  seen.  Alexander  Henry  was 
Mayor  of  the  city.  It  was  evident  that  there  was  going 
to  be  a  riot.  That  morning  a  number  of  people  came 
to  see  me,  as  the  only  person  accessible  to  them  who 
had  the  right  to  put  the  meeting  off.  My  associate 
and  myself  both  had  a  decided  conviction  that  it  would 
not  do  to  obey  the  behests  of  the  mob,  but  to  hold  the 
meeting  at  all  risks.  Judge  Kelley,  who  strongly  sup 
ported  us  in  this  resolve,  took  me  that  morning  to  call 
on  the  Mayor.  Mayor  Henry  said,  that  while  it  was 


Gen1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  123 

his  duty  to  maintain  free  speech,  it  was  a  very  danger 
ous  time,  and  he  wished  the  meeting  could  be  given  up, 
but  manfully  added,  that  if  we  insisted  on  holding  it,  he 
would  protect  free  speech  to  the  full  extent  of  his 
power.  He  added  in  a  most  earnest  manner  that 
lives  might  be  saved  by  giving  up  the  meeting.  But  I 
felt  that  we  had  no  right  to  do  that.  It  would  be 
pandering  to  the  passions  of  the  mob  and  a  surrender 
of  free  speech.  Of  course,  in  all  this  I  had  the  advice 
of  older  persons,  who  confirmed  me  in  my  views. 
Mayor  Henry  made  a  personal  appeal  on  the  subject. 
Prominent  citizens  were  present,  including  Eli  K.  Price, 
W.  Heyward  Drayton  and  others,  who  came  to  urge 
that  something  be  done  to  avert  the  danger.  They 
were  afraid  that  blood  would  be  shed.  They  besought 
the  Mayor  to  stop  the  meeting,  with  the  result  as  stated 
above.  I  went  from  the  Mayor's  office  to  the  house  of 
Rev.  Dr.  William  H.  Furness,  on  Pine  street,  where,  in 
the  meantime,  Mr.  Curtis  had  arrived.  He  had  not 
heard  anything  as  yet  of  the  impending  trouble.  While 
we  were  talking  a  gentleman  rang  the  door-bell.  He 
was  a  well-known  and  very  estimable  citizen.  He  said 
that  he  had  just  come  from  the  office  of  the  Mayor,  to 
whom  he  had  made  a  personal  though  unavailing  appeal 
to  prevent  the  meeting,  for  fear  that  there  would  be 
bloodshed ;  and  now  he  had  come  to  make  a  personal 
appeal  to  Mr.  Curtis  himself  in  the  interest  of  safety 
and  humanity.  Mr.  Curtis  asked  me  what  I  had  to  say 
in  the  matter,  as  I  represented  those  who  had  wished 


124  Letters,  1853-1868 

him  to  come  here  to  lecture,  and  to  whom  he  was 
responsible.  I  told  him  that  while  I  certainly  did  not 
want  him  to  go  to  that  hall  without  knowing  what  he 
was  doing,  and  I  regretted  that  we  were  confronted 
with  this  danger,  I  saw  no  way  out  of  it  except  to  face 
it  without  shrinking.  Dr.  Furness  said  :  l  If  it  costs  the 
lives  of  all  of  us  we  ought  to  go  on.'  Mr.  Curtis 
acquiesced,  and  so  it  was  decided. 

600    POLICE    ON    GUARD. 

"  Quite  a  party  of  us  left  Dr.  Furness's  house 
together  a  little  before  the  time  for  the  lecture.  We 
walked  from  Pine  street  up  Thirteenth,  and  went  into 
National  Hall  from  the  little  street  in  the  rear.  There 
was  a  terrible  noise  in  Market  street  and  a  great  crowd. 
Mayor  Henry  had  600  armed  policemen  posted  in  front 
of  the  hall  and  within  it.  A  passageway  was  kept  clear 
for  people  who  wished  to  enter.  They  came  in  great 
numbers.  It  was  surprising,  the  pluck  they  displayed. 
After  entering  by  the  back  way  we  sat  for  a  while  in  a 
little  room  behind  the  platform.  Chief  of  Police  Ruggles 
was  there,  and  he  took  me  downstairs  and  showed  me 
the  array  of  police.  It  looked  to  me  more  like  war  than 
anything  I  had  yet  seen.  Every  policeman  had  a  loaded 
revolver.  I  felt  the  greatest  confidence  in  the  outcome. 
I  felt  that  free  speech  would  be  vindicated.  Pretty  soon 
we  marched  in  upon  the  platform.  The  sight  was  some 
thing  I  can  never  forget.  The  Mayor  had  ordered  that 
the  Anti-Slavery  Fair,  which  was  being  held  in  Concert 


Gen' I  Wm.  J.  Palmer  125 

Hall,  on  Chestnut  street,  should  be  closed  for  the  even 
ing,  in  order  that  all  the  available  police  not  already  on 
guard  could  be  kept  in  readiness  for  service  at  National 
Hall,  if  needed.  This  order  also  swelled  our  audience. 
Among  the  noted  persons  present  were  James  and  Lu- 
cretia  Mott,  Mary  Grew,  Charles  Wise,  Henry  C.  Davis, 
Rev.  William  H.  Furness,  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Furness, 
Robert  Purvis,  Dr.  John  D.  Griscom  and  Mrs.  Gris- 
com,  Clement  M.  Biddle,  Edward  M.  Davis,  Caleb 
Clothier,  Daniel  Neall,  Warner  Justice  and  his  wife, 
Theodore  Justice,  Abby  Kimber,  Sarah  Pugh,  William 
Still,  James  Miller  McKim  and  George  A.  Coffey,  Dis 
trict  Attorney. 

"George  William  Curtis  had  walked  to  the  hall,  with 
Mrs.  William  H.  Furness  leaning  on  his  arm.  A  self- 
constituted  bodyguard  of  young  men  kept  close  to  him 
all  the  way  and  throughout  the  meeting.  Many  have 
since  become  prominent  in'  public  affairs.  Those  whom 
I  remember  were  William  J.  Palmer,  Clement  A. 
Griscom,  James  C.  Parrish,  William  W.  Justice, 
Edmund  Lewis,  Frank  L.  Neall,  Henry  C.  Davis  and 
the  Steel  brothers,  Edward  T.,  William  and  Henry  M. 

"  Other  persons  than  the  police  were  prepared  to 
give  an  account  of  themselves  if  free  speech  had  been 
seriously  retarded  or  the  lives  of  law-abiding  citizens 
had  been  assailed.  Mr.  Coffey,  the  District  Attorney, 
sat  on  the  platform  with  a  loaded  revolver  in  his  pocket. 
1  remember  him  saying  on  that  day  :  '  There  will  be 
hundreds  of  armed  men  in  the  streets  to-night,  ready 


126  Letters,  1853-1868 

to  back  the  posse  comitatus  in  behalf  of  free  speech.' 
Judge  Kelley  had  a  billy,  or  small  cudgel,  up  his  sleeve. 
It  is  now  in  my  possession. 

A    MOST    EXCITING    HOUR. 

u  In  introducing  Mr.  Curtis,  Judge  Kelley  gave  his 
listeners  to  understand  that  free  speech  would  be  vin 
dicated,  and  that  the  orator  of  the  evening  would  be 
protected.  He  further  said  (the  words  are  securely 
graven  in  my  memory) : 

'  It  is  my  privilege  to  introduce  to  you  my  friend, 
George  William  Curtis,  who  is  here  this  evening  in  pur 
suance  of  an  engagement  made  more  than  three  months 
ago,  to  present  to  you  his  views — the  views  of  an  accom 
plished  scholar,  a  polished  gentleman  and,  withal,  a  great 
hearted  lover  of  his  race  and  kind — upon  the  subject  which 
God  is  pressing  closer  and  closer  upon  us  every  day  of  our 
lives  —  the  great  question  of  slavery.' 

"  Mr.  Curtis  did  not  speak  as  long  as  he  would  have 
done,  perhaps,  if  disorder  had  not  been  so  rampant.  His 
lecture  lasted  a  little  less  than  an  hour.  It  was  an  hour 
of  menace,  noise  and  confusion.  The  building  would 
have  been  torn  inside  out  and  burned  to  the  ground  if 
it  had  not  been  for  the  police.  The  mob  on  Market 
street  made  several  charges  upon  the  entrance,  but  the 
police  charged  them  in  turn  and  kept  them  out.  Brick 
bats  were  thrown  through  the  side  windows  of  the  hall. 
A  bottle  of  vitriol  was  also  thrown,  and  the  sight  of  one 
person  was  destroyed  by  its  contents.  The  mob  had  its 
delegates  in  the  auditorium,  too.  Two  or  three  attempts 


Gen'1 1  Wm.  J.  Palmer  i  27 

were  made  to  stop  the  lecture.  Rough -looking  men 
jumped  upon  the  benches  and  gave  cheers  for  the 
Union,  to  drown  the  voice  of  the  lecturer.  The  police 
rushed  at  them,  seized  them  and  carried  them  out 
through  a  doorway  under  the  platform.  Robert  E. 
Randall,  brother  of  Samuel  J.  Randall,  who  became 
Speaker  of  the  National  House  of  Representatives,  was 
one  of  the  ringleaders,  and  was  arrested. 

RIOTERS    AS    HOSTAGES. 

u  Underneath  the  hall  was  a  wholesale  flour  store, 
into  which  freight  cars  were  run  for  the  purpose  of 
unloading.  The  prisoners  were  taken  down  into  this 
store  and  were  locked  up  in  an  empty  freight  car. 
Their  confederates  in  the  auditorium  and  in  the  street 
were  then  informed  that  if  the  building  was  fired  the 
prisoners  would  be  sure  to  be  burned  to  death.  To 
show  how  tense  was  the  suspense  of  those  on  the  plat 
form  while  the  lecture  was  in  progress,  I  will  mention  a 
little  incident.  My  associate  in  the  management  of  the 
course  of  lectures,  William  J.  Palmer,  did  not  know 
Mr.  Henry  by  sight.  At  one  stage  of  the  tumult,  the 
Mayor  appeared  suddenly  beside  Mr.  Curtis,  as  he  stood 
near  the  edge  of  the  platform,  and  made  an  appeal  to 
the  audience  for  order.  Mr.  Palmer  leaned  over  to  me 
and  asked  :  l  Who  is  that  man  ? '  He  afterwards  told 
me  that,  supposing  at  first  Mayor  Henry  was  an  accom 
plice  of  the  mob,  he  came  very  near  seizing  him  from 
behind  and  pushing  him  ofF  the  platform. 


128  Letters,  1853-1868 

u  In  spite  of  the  menacing  interruptions  the  lecture 
was  delivered,  and  was  heard,  and  free  speech  was 
vindicated." 

Almost  one  year  afterwards  to  a  day,  George  William 
Curtis  was  again  invited  to  speak  in  Philadelphia.  But 
Lincoln  had  meanwhile  been  elected  President,  the 
secession  agitation  in  the  South  had  reached  its  highest 
pitch,  and  the  anti-slavery  advocates  in  the  North  were 
held  by  many  thousands  to  be  directly  responsible  for 
the  great  troubles  which  threatened  the  nation.  The 
condition  of  public  sentiment  in  Philadelphia  was  more 
dangerous  even  than  it  had  been  immediately  after  the 
execution  of  John  Brown.  The  Mayor  was  strongly 
opposed  to  the  delivery  of  the  lecture,  and  Mr.  Andrews, 
the  lessee  of  Concert  Hall,  refused  to  allow  its  use  for 
that  purpose. 

In  connection  with  the  above  reminiscences  and  as 
an  instance  of  the  whirligig  of  time,  it  may  be  inter 
esting  to  observe  that  during  the  past  week  the  Hon. 
Grover  Cleveland,  twice  elected  President  by  the  Demo 
cratic  party,  presided  at  a  meeting  in  Philadelphia  held 
in  behalf  of  an  African  industrial  school,  and  was  pre 
sented  to  the  audience  by  the  author  of  these  reminis 
cences,  Mr.  Isaac  H.  Clothier. 


ADDENDUM. 

Since  this  volume  was  issued,  it  has 
been  ascertained  that  the  author  of  the 
lines  on  Lincoln  was  Tom  Taylor,  a  writer 
for  "  Punch,"  and  subsequently  its  well  - 
known  editor. 

The  lines  were  included  in  "  Parnassus," 
a  collection  of  poems  published  in  1876, 
compiled  by  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  and 
also  in  Stedman's  Victorian  collection  pub 
lished  in  1895. 


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